Dark Hearts
by megamorr
Summary: "The first casualty of war is always innocence" During the attack on St. Vladimir's Nathan achieved his goal and Vasilisa was taken. Rose blames herself and her love for Dimitri as the reason for not fulfilling her duty. With disturbing visits through a tainted bond and the constant struggle to push herself away from Dimitri, these hearts will threaten to be overcome by darkness.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Fun fact: I love listening to music and pairing certain songs with individual characters or chapters so you will see those associated with each chapter I post. Sometimes they go along with what is going on in the scene, what the characters are experiencing, or just a general mood. This story will have a lot of emotional struggle for Richelle Mead's wonderful characters that I cannot get enough of (especially Rose). There will be shifts between different POVs in this FF as well as several flashbacks. I'll be sure to indicate the POV changes at the top of the chapter or throughout, and the flashbacks will be italicized. If there is any part that is confusing please let me know!

This is my first attempt at a FF so feel free to send me suggestions and tips on what you think could be better, or even ideas for songs you might have.

I would like to give a HUGE shoutout to my girl (and this story's unofficial godmother) ohorpheuss for all of her amazing help! Thank you for taking the time to read every chapter and help make this little story the monster it has come to be. Seriously folks, she's awesome!

So, without further ado, let's get started with a little Adrian POV shall we?

* * *

 **Ch. 1**

 **APOV**

 **Songs** : Cruel World - Phantogram, Until We Go Down- Ruelle, Habits - Hippie Sabotage Remix

It had been days since she left her room. Belikov tried relentlessly to see her, but was brutally rebuffed. She made it clear he wasn't to come anywhere near her, for reasons unknown. Alberta forbade him from trying again after Rose's last episode, so he was now stationed outside her door, refusing to leave her completely alone. I'm not sure how long he had been there perched against the wall, but by the look of the dark circles under his eyes and the depleted slump of his shoulders, I doubt he had retreated at all.

I approached the hollow shell of a man in an attempt to persuade him to take leave, for a few hours at the very least. "Belikov," I greeted. His elbows were rested on his knees with his hands tangled in his hair, a shell-shocked look on his face. Seeing him in this state, it was hard to believe that many revered him as a God. After a few moments with no response, I decided to try again. "Dimitri. You should really get something to eat."

His eyes slowly shifted upwards towards me and I felt taken aback by their torment. I had been desperately trying to block out the auras around campus lately, the pain and suffering were becoming too much to bear, but with one look from the Russian Guardian, all my barriers broke. It was as if I transported inside his shattered heart, consumed by grief, guilt, and agony. The weight of it all was suffocating, and I had to find some sort of relief as I shakily reached for one of my cloves. He stared at me while I sparked the tip of the cigarette, light crackles filling the silence of the hallway as I took a long, deep drag. I closed my eyes and exhaled as I attempted to gain back control of my emotions and composure, slowly slipping out of Dimitri's tortured aura.

I kept my eyes straight on the opposing doorway and slid down the wall to sit next to him. "Look. When she finally comes around, she's going to need you," the words tasted like ash on my tongue. As much as it pained me to say it, I had seen them together, witnessed their unseen connection and understanding of one another, and knew that if she was ever going to come out of this he would be the one to pull her back.

"She'll need _you_ Dimitri. Not this crestfallen, despondent version you've been reduced to." Something triggered inside him and he sat up a little taller with a stern look on his face. Maybe it was a bit harsh, but it seemed to get a reaction out of him. "I know you and I don't see eye to eye on...well, anything really but we both care about Rose."

At the sound of her name, he snapped his gaze straight ahead, his fists slightly gripping his knees. "Despite what you think, I only want what is best for her, and torturing yourself is only a reminder to her of what's happened. She needs time to heal and move on, some normalcy back in her life, or she's going to slip further and further away." He seemed to be considering what I was saying and let out a dejected sigh.

"I just don't understand why she won't even see me." His face stumbled from insecurity to professionalism and I could tell his statement was an afterthought that he hadn't meant to voice aloud.

I wasn't sure what to say to the guy, it was a mystery to me too. "Well no offense, but even if she did agree to see you she'd probably send you packing after getting one look, or should I say whiff of you." I caught the ghost of a slight smirk forming on his face as he looked down to examine his attire. He took his hands off his knees and rubbed them over his face. "You're right," he replied, finally admitting to his exhaustion. "I should go get cleaned up."

He stood up next to me, flattening his shirt and pants before starting down the hall. I had almost forgotten how huge the guy was after seeing him in that crouched position for so long. He turned back to me before pushing through the exit. "Don't worry," I assured him. "I'll stay here until you get back." He nodded in gratitude and disappeared through the doorway, leaving me alone with my disorderly thoughts.

" _Eddie...Eddie snap out of it!" I could hear Christian shouting at Castile down the corridor. The battle against the Strigoi had finally subsided, but the remains were still in utter chaos. Guardians were shooting passed me in a blur of worry and adrenaline. Two of them, a tall middle-aged male Dhampir and a slightly shorter female with a horrified look on her face, were carrying another Guardian. Blood was dripping down his neck as he clung a piece of torn fabric to it and his right leg was twisted unnaturally in multiple sections hanging limply below him. His screams echoed down the hall as they rushed him to the medical bay. A Moroi girl with long copper hair was sitting in a corner hugging her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth repeating the same phrase, "The undead are coming. The undead are coming."_

 _I pushed through a band of novices huddled together speaking in hushed tones to gain entrance to the archway of the courtyard. I immediately spotted Christian and Rose huddled over Eddie, who was sitting on the ground rubbing his temples. "I told you, I can't remember anything! Don't you think I would tell you?!" I could see the worry on all of their faces and in their auras, but something was clouding Castile's. I knelt down beside him to try and direct my focus on only him and drown out all the other's emotions. I could see that he had been compelled and voiced my discovery to the others. Christian and Rose exchanged an anxious look and I could feel something was terribly wrong._

" _What's going on? Tell me what happened, now!" I could feel a small amount of compulsion unconsciously slip through me in my desperation to find out what was happening._

" _I tried to check in on Lissa through the bond when the fight broke out, but something was blocking me. Eddie was the last one to see her, but he can't remember where she is," Rose shakily replied. I couldn't tell if she was shivering from the adrenaline of the fight, or if it was something else._

" _Eddie, look at me." I put my hands on each side of his head and glared directly into his eyes. In our research, Lissa and I had read of some Spirit users rumored to have the skills of not only enhanced compulsion, but also the ability to reverse it. We had just started practicing it but like many of our abilities, we weren't too keen on sharing this information publicly yet. The others stared at me in confusion as I prompted Castile. "What's the last thing you remember? Focus on that moment."_

" _I was in the Moroi dorms with Vasilisa and the others. She was worried about Christian, but I told her he was probably with Rose and would be fine." A frustrated look grew on his face like he was trying to recall what happened next, but he was hitting a blockade. I reached into his mind, like I would with a Spirit dream, and slowly started to chip away at the wall acting as a barrier to his memories. "Keep going Eddie. Can you see what happened next?"_

" _It's blurry..but..yes..yes, she was pacing and scared that something might happen to you two," he motioned to Rose and Christian. "She was becoming frantic, saying she needed to be there to heal you. I grabbed her shoulders and tried to calm her and when she looked at me..." I pulled at the wall again, letting the memories trickle back into Eddie's mind. They were coming in portions and difficult to decipher. They were too confusing to put together, so I concentrated harder and summoned as much Spirit as I could access. I felt a jolt of energy shoot through the Dhampir as the wall came tumbling down, this time the memories didn't stop._

" _She..she compelled me! Vasilisa told me she needed to get to them. She told me to sneak her out of the dorm and help her find Christian and Rose. We snuck around the Guardians and made our way to the courtyard." Castile started looking around the area he was perched at. "There," he pointed. "There were two of them. They jumped out and caught us by surprise."_

" _You mean Strigoi?!" Rose shrieked._

" _Yes. I pushed Vasilisa behind me and went after the one closest to us. I took her out easily, but before I could turn around to face the other, he knocked me with something on the back of the head."_

" _What then?!" Christian was taking in short, frantic breaths and looked like he was about to lose it. "Then I woke up here, with you." Tears were filling Castile's eyes as he gripped the grass. "I failed her. I'm so sorry Rose. I promised I would keep her safe and I failed."_

 _Rose was eerily still, staring at her childhood friend. "Adrian, what did the other Strigoi look like," her question was more of a demand as she refused to remove her cold eyes from Eddie's face. "Early twenties when he was turned, maybe younger, shoulder length blonde hair_ — _and he was smiling."_

 _Christian grabbed Rose's arm, "The one from the courtyard." I looked at them confused, but before I could ask what he meant Rose turned and sprinted towards the Guardian headquarters._

"Adrian?"

It was so soft I thought I had imagined it. A tiny voice that was unrecognizable at first pulled me from my memories. I looked around the hall for a moment then realizing where it must have come from, leaned over and pressed my ear firmly on Rose's door.

"Adrian."

This time it was more direct, but still had a pleading undertone to it. I jumped up off the ground and quickly stamped out the remains of my cigarette. I slowly reached for the handle, slightly afraid of what was on the other side of that door, and announced my entrance. "Rose? It's me. I'm coming in okay?"

There was no response, but it was miles better than the tortured screams that Belikov had been subjected to, so I decided to pursue. I cracked the door slightly, so I was able to peer into the dwelling. A beam of light from the hallway was a stark contrast to the hollow blackness of the room, and I had this irrational fear that the small glow would be swallowed whole by the darkness that dominated the small space. I took a deep breath and plunged through the threshold, quickly closing the door behind me.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey there! Hope you are enjoying so far. If you are slightly confused as to what is going on, don't worry. The answers to your questions will come soon ;). We'll see a couple of familiar conversations in this chapter with my own little twist on them. Now, time for some more angst. Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions.

* * *

 **Ch. 2**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs:** Rotten - The Features, Deep End - Ruelle, Here in My Room - Incubus

Pools of red gathered around my feet as the warm water washed over me. I was momentarily mesmerized by the crimson swirls that slowly turned pink then eventually drained, leaving only clear puddles and no trace that the obtrusions were ever there. How much of it belonged to me or those I had slain was a mystery, but it brought up all the painful thoughts from that day nonetheless.

I would've thought it would be impossible for one person to experience all the emotions I had in a span of 24 hours. Just the thought of it had my head buzzing and I became dizzy by their lingering presence. I cranked up the heat of the shower, hoping the clouds of steam around me could block out the swell of emotions threatening to rear their head. I leaned my hands against the cool tiles for support and filled my lungs with hot air to distract myself...unsuccessfully. How could this have happened? How did they get in? What was I going to do about Roza? Roza. Oh, my Roza.

" _Comrade..."_

My thoughts selfishly shifted to a memory I had yet to let myself embark on. It had been the single most invigorating moment of my life, and it was all taken away in an instant.

" _Mmm Comrade," she cooed as she peacefully laid in my arms. Her hair was splayed across her bare back and I gently ran my fingers through the soft waves, letting them slowly fall back into place before repeating the motion. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on, and I knew in that moment I would spend the rest of my life worshiping this girl who had completely encapsulated my heart._

 _She looked up at me, her warm cheek still resting on my rising chest, and flashed me one of her signature Rose Hathaway smiles. She could send men into cardiac arrest with that smile. I studied her face for a moment, memorizing every aspect of her expression in that instant. My heart was swelling with the amount of love I felt for her_ _._ _She had encapsulated my heart long ago, before I even knew it, but now she had my body and soul and I knew there would be no disguising my feelings for her now, even after leaving the safe hiding of this room_ _._ _As_ _if she read my thoughts she sat up slightly, leaning on her arm so she could fully face me._

" _What's wrong," she questioned with a worried look on her face. "Do you regret what just happened?"_

 _I was disconcerted by her reaction. How could she not see how much this time with her meant to me? "Why would you think that?"_

" _Because that's how you are," she pulled the sheets up to cover herself and let out a frustrated sigh. "You always want to do the right thing. And when you do the wrong thing, you then have to fix it and do the right thing. And I know you're going to say that what we did shouldn't have happened and that you wish—"_

 _I couldn't let this go on any longer. I sat up and pulled her to my lips, holding her body tightly against my chest. At first, she clenched my shoulders as if I might slip away but she melted into my embrace as I poured all of my love into the kiss, determined to remove any worry from her mind. I regretfully pulled away from her soft lips just far enough so she could look into my eyes and see every ounce of truth behind them. "I don't think what we did was wrong. I'm glad we did it, and if I could go back in time I'd do it again." Hell, I was on the verge of taking her again that very moment._

" _Really," she questioned with a look of wonder on her face. "What made you change your mind?"_

" _Because you're hard to resist," I told her, slightly amused at her breathless reply. "And . . . do you remember what Rhonda said?" I could see confusion in her expression as she tried to remember back to that day. "Something about how you're going to lose something..." apparently, she didn't remember it so well. "'You will lose what you value most, so treasure it while you can.'"_

 _She thought about this for a moment before giving me a startled look and pushing slightly out of my embrace. "Wait. You think I'm going to die? That's why you slept with me?"_

" _No, no, of course not. I did what I did because…believe me, it wasn't because of that. Regardless of the specifics—or if it's even true—she was right about how easily things can change. We try to do what's right, or rather, what others say is right. But sometimes, when that goes against who we are…you have to choose. As I watched all the problems you were struggling with, I realized how much you meant to me. It changed everything. I was worried about you—so, so worried," I raised my hand to her face and brushed the loose strands of dark hair behind her ear._

" _It pained me to see you that way. And it became useless to try to act like I could ever put any Moroi life above yours." Both of us tensed slightly at those words, but I knew them to be true and couldn't keep it from her any longer, no matter how dangerous they were._

" _It's not going to happen, no matter how wrong others say it is. And so, I decided that's something I have to deal with. Once I made that decision…there was nothing to hold us back. Well, to hold me back. I'm speaking for myself. I don't mean to act like I know exactly why you did it." I finally stopped my long-winded explanation as her lips arched into an amused smile. Apparently, this girl could not only render me speechless, but could also turn me into a rambling, love-sick fool._

" _I did it because I love you." She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world and I laughed. "You can sum up in one sentence what it takes me a whole speech to get out."_

" _Because it's that simple. I love you, and I don't want to keep pretending like I don't."_

" _I don't either." I removed my hand from her illustrious hair and placed two fingers under her chin to pull her in for another soft kiss. "I love you Roza."_

The water had long since turned cold, but I could feel warmth on my face from the traitorous tears that spilled for my Roza. I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry off.

After I pronounced my love for her, I told Rose I would request to be reassigned so that we could openly be together without the issue of either of us worrying about the other more than Vasilisa. She was disappointed at first, but saw the logic behind it and agreed it would be the best option for us. It was the first time since meeting her that I felt hopeful about our relationship. I wish I could be transported back to that moment, if only for an instant. I longed to feel that love radiating from us freely and to see her breathtaking smile one last time.

But now...now there was nothing but pain and guilt. There was no hope that our love would ever survive this, or that my Roza would ever come back to me. I caught my distorted reflection in the steam covered mirror and finally voiced what I had been thinking since I saw Rose completely broken and wailing in agony for her lost friend.

"I wish it would've been me."

 **RPOV**

 **Songs** : Possibility - Lykke Li

Darkness.

I once feared it. I was terrified of succumbing to it and being trapped forever in an eternity of it. Now, it was my new home. My only constant and companion. It encased me in nothingness, but the empty solitude I had conceded to was far more tolerable to the world revealed by the light.

Darkness. As long as I stayed here, the truths on the other side of my door couldn't get in and I could almost pretend they weren't real. The Strigoi wouldn't have flooded the school. I would have Dimitri by my side. This piercing pain in my chest wouldn't be threatening to swallow me whole. My best friend would still be alive.

Lissa.

Lissa was everything good, everything that light represented. Everything she encountered or touched lived...including me. I had to keep the light out. Keep the light out.

…..

My eyelids hung heavy. I'm not sure how long I slept, but my body ached all over from the lack of movement. The ghosts of voices crept into my memory and I wondered how many were real and how many were hallucinations. My mother trying to soothe me and telling me time would heal this pain. Alberta trying to coax me into eating. Eddie sobbing and telling me how sorry he was for his failure. At the time, I couldn't face any of these voices, but the truth was Eddie hadn't failed. It was me who failed. I failed her a long time ago when I put my selfish wants ahead of my charge...my best friend...my family.

It was my love for Dimitri that brought this upon her. I had been told my whole life _They Come First._ It was a simple concept that I followed dutifully, until he walked into my life. I allowed myself to feel undying love for someone other than her. The need to protect someone other than her. He tried to tell me how wrong it was and how our duties lied elsewhere, but I didn't listen. It was like I was caught in a sick, twisted version of one of his lessons, too entranced by our pull to each other to let his words fully sink in. But now, I couldn't bear the sight of him. His velvet voice that was once my salvation, was now my destruction. The sound of it threatened to pull at my heartstrings and I had to eradicate it before I could feel again. His dark eyes were filled with love and concern, yet another reminder of the sin I had committed against Lissa.

I could feel his presence outside my room. Even if I couldn't hear him or see him, it was as if his natural warmth was radiating towards me, trying to pull me back into the light. It was almost suffocating, but still tolerable to actually seeing him.

Suddenly it felt as if the warmth had faded and a chill shuddered through my room. He had finally left me to surrender to the darkness, but he hadn't left me alone. A familiar scent invaded my senses: sickly sweet with a hint of spice.

"Adrian," I whispered softly to myself. There was silence for a moment before I could hear frantic shuffling and a soft creak as he leaned against the door. "Adrian," I tried to put as much confidence into the request as I could muster, but it still lacked any real conviction.

I heard him latch onto the doorknob and slowly start to turn it. Was he afraid? Maybe he feared the dark the same way I feared the light. "Rose? It's me. I'm coming in okay?" I closed my eyes tightly so the light couldn't reach them. I heard the door crack open, letting an intrusion into my solitude, then quickly close with a thud as Adrian was trapped into my self-inflicted form of hell.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch. 3**

 **APOV**

 **Songs:** Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1 - The Flaming Lips

It had almost been a week since the attack. Classes hadn't started back up yet, but campus was slowly getting back to normal; well, as normal as it could considering. It was becoming easier for me to get around without a constant need to jump out of my own skin or drown myself in a bottle of Russia's finest. The cafeteria was starting to clear out, so I took the opportunity to quickly run in and grab some essentials.

As I made my way back to the Novice dorms I could see a dim light casting through the stain glass window at the top of the church. I shook my head knowing he was probably still up there, pouring over books and parchment. I considered stopping to check in on Christian but seeing how last time he threatened to burn me where I stood, despite being in a church, I decided against it.

When I finally approached Rose's door one of the regular Guardians on rotation was standing watch. I tossed him an apple and he threw me a curt nod in return before biting into it.

Several days had passed since I first entered her room, and I was still the only one permitted to see Rose. I stepped in without any objections and shut the door behind me, switching the tray I was carrying into the other hand. She was sitting at the top of her bed with a contemplative look on her face, tearing through the same book she'd been looking at for the past three days. I plopped down on the bed beside her and set the tray of food above her book.

"I told you I'm not hungry," her usual response.

"That's funny, I didn't make you out to be the anorexic type Little Dhampir. Your bear-like eating habits were actually quite charming." She rolled her eyes and continued her pensive musing. I snagged a grape off the tray and plopped it into my mouth. "Find anything new?"

She let out a frustrated sigh and slammed the book shut. " _Ugh_ no! I've read through this damn book a dozen times and there's nothing." I could see the defeated look on her face masked by anger.

"Well you know you could always go talk to-"

"No." She interrupted my fleeting argument as if it was becoming second nature. "I can't face Christian yet. I need more time to figure out what happened." She grabbed her damp hair and started twisting it into a lazy braid. "I think we should start now," she said as she subtly grabbed a piece of toast from the tray and began nibbling at it. I let out a satisfied smile before repositioning myself in front of her.

After everything that happened that day Rose had, what some would call, a mental breakdown and was experiencing difficulty remembering all the details of the events that occurred. At first, she was happy to be rid of the memories, but I could see in her aura that something inside her was telling her she needed to remember. I had been working with her to try and bring them back, which was proving to be more difficult than reversing compulsion. It was closer to healing than any other aspect, an element of Spirit I hadn't quite mastered yet.

"Alright, Little Dhampir," I put her small, yet strong hands in mine and stared directly into her exotic eyes. "Let's begin."

 **DPOV**

 **Songs** : Livin on the Edge - Aerosmith

Fury coursed through my veins as each hit landed on the bag. The gym was my only refuge from the outside scrutiny and pestering questions that raced through my mind, and I had started to see more of that place than my own quarters. The other Guardians had stopped offering to spar with me after I almost broke someone's arm in the heat of a fight, so I was reduced to punching holes in the ratted excuses for punching bags.

Sweat was dripping down my face, the loose strands from my ponytail sticking to my cheeks. I'd lost track of how long I had been in this corner inflicting my torture onto the stationary villain in front of me. It had been six excruciating days and she was still refusing to see me. I didn't just want to see her. I _needed_ to see her. To hold her in my arms and tell her how sorry I was for not protecting her best friend and begging for her forgiveness. But I knew she needed time.

After I lost Ivan, I was lost. I wanted to forget the world, forget him so the pain would go away. But now I cherished every memory I had with him. I hated that Rose was going through that, if not worse. Lissa wasn't just her friend, they were bonded. She was Rose's only true family. I had hoped that when the time came, she would finally be ready to open up to me and let some shred of light back into her life. But no. She chose him. She opened up to _him_. Ivashkov.

I slammed my right fist into the center of the bag with a resounding crack. "Блядь!" My knuckles were bare and bleeding, the bag split down the middle with padding oozing out. "Worthless piece of—"

"Woah Belikov!" Emil approached me from behind and slapped me on the back. "That's what, your third this week? Maybe you should give it a rest until our inventory can keep up."

When I heard that Rose had allowed someone to finally enter her room I raced over to the dormitory. There was already a Guardian posted outside of her door in the same position I had left just a few hours prior. Before I could even get my hand on the brass knob, the Guardian informed me that she wasn't allowing anyone else in; only Ivashkov. I could have easily taken him down for trying to stand between me and my Roza, but my anger was quickly replaced by hurt at the realization that she would rather see him than me. I went to the gym to hit out my frustrations and hadn't stopped since.

I bent down to my gym bag and began wrapping up my hand to hide the blood from Emil. I didn't need to give those gossiping pigs more fuel to burn. "I see you're still not in the talkative mood," he pressed.

"Well, you better change that pretty quickly because Petrov wants to see you." I turned to look at him slightly rattled. I knew this was coming. After my reaction to Rose's episode, she pulled me aside and told me we would be having a discussion. I hadn't exactly been low-profile at the time, but it was the last thing on my mind when I saw Rose in that state.

I assumed Alberta had been too wrapped up in everything else going on that she had forgotten about it, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I knew there was much to discuss but wasn't sure if I was ready to face the consequences yet. If they decided to fire me and force me off campus, I didn't know how I would ever be able to get to Rose. I couldn't avoid it any longer though. I had to face my transgressions and come clean to her. I respected Guardian Petrov too much to lie anymore, and I owed it to Roza.

I gave Emil a nod, grabbed my things, and headed out the gym towards Alberta's office to receive my judgement. One thing was for sure, no matter what the outcome was I wouldn't give up on my Roza.

 **RPOV**

 **Songs:** Limbs – Widowspeak, Take It All - Ruelle

Adrian was breathing heavily and looked worse for the wear. His efforts were admirable, but I could tell we weren't going to make any more progress.

"Alright, that's enough for now." He looked slightly disappointed, but I could tell he was relieved. We had been at this for days and I still wasn't any closer to accessing my memories. I had bits and pieces of what happened, mostly flashes of excruciating pain, but I needed to know the rest. As much as I wanted to keep everything about that day locked away in the deepest parts of my memory, something was telling me I had to pull them out. Besides the fact that eventually the pitying looks would turn into investigative questions, not only from the Guardian Council but from Christian as well, I owed it to Lissa to honor her last moments.

I unconsciously swiped a piece of bacon off the tray on my bed and shoved it into my mouth. When I looked up Adrian was wearing that cocky grin of his. "Don't look so pleased with yourself Ivashkov, you're still failing at this."

He chuckled and ran his hand through his perfectly messy hair. "Well, I see you haven't completely lost your charm." His sarcasm wasn't lost on me and I attempted a tight smile in return, failing miserably.

"I'm sorry, I know you're trying. I just know there's something there. Something important that I need to remember."

He sat there for a moment looking at me like a dog that was about to get in trouble for chewing up my favorite pair of shoes. "What Adrian? If you have something to say, just let it out."

He rubbed his face preparing himself for whatever wrath he thought he'd receive for his next words. "It's not just me Rose. I can access the memories, but you're not letting me in." I opened my mouth ready to put him in his place for accusing me of not trying as hard as he was, but he held up his hand interrupting my outburst. "Hold on, hold on. I'm not saying you're doing it on purpose or anything, but there's still a part of you that's scared to relive that day." I thought about what he said for a minute before responding.

"I'm not afraid of anything anymore Adrian."

He shook his head thoughtfully, "You are the single bravest person I know Little Dhampir." He brushed his thumb across my jaw. His touch was so light I almost didn't feel it until I saw his hand return to his lap. "And admitting to being afraid doesn't make you any less." He had that nonsensical look about him that Spirit sometimes brought on, but somehow his words still settled me.

"I want to try something else. Do you trust me?" I nodded my head apprehensively and he slowly brought his hands up to either side of my face. I was skeptical of his intentions at first, but he had been completely sober since we started working on getting my memories back, despite his constant desire to drown out my blackened aura. I could see how hard it was to be around me and it only proved his seriousness towards achieving our goal.

"Close your eyes." I eyed him one last time before shutting them and took a deep breath. "I want you to think about that day, right after you left me and Eddie. Hold that moment in your mind." I could see Eddie sitting in front of me, his hands fisted in the grass. He had tears in his eyes, but I felt no sympathy for him. I felt nothing. The courtyard was in chaos, but we were perfectly still in that moment staring each other down. I turned on my heel to run away, but something was stopping me. I was stuck in that courtyard, in that memory. I looked around the courtyard to see what was keeping me there, and furrowed my brow as things started to get a little hazy. Adrian began to speak again, but his voice sounded far away like it was playing in a dream.

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration," He spoke slowly and purposely.

"I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path." I looked down in my memory and touched the blue eye pendant my mother had given me. Adrian's voice echoed in my mind as his magic wrapped around me. "Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

Suddenly a river of memories began cascading through my mind. It was only sounds at first, but quickly warped into faces and images rushing by in a frenzied rhythm. They flowed through me fluidly as I relived those moments all over again. The warmth of Spirit surrounded me as they passed by.

Then came the pain.

Not just the emotional torment I had been living with the past week; real, physical pain. A bite, a snap, a tear, burning...so much burning. But I held on, I couldn't stop now. I had to know what happened.

When they finally finished pouring out, I opened my eyes to find that Adrian and I were both crying, tears streaming down our faces. He had felt everything I just had, and it was almost too much for him to bear. I wouldn't blame him for drowning himself in a bottle tonight.

 _I could see it all so clearly now, there was nothing keeping me in that courtyard. I sprinted to the Guardian Building where I knew they would be meeting to discuss the aftermath. A few startled faces turned to me as I burst through the doors. I made a beeline straight to a table where Alberta and Dimitri were huddled with a group of other Guardians in a heated discussion. I could hear pieces of their conversation as I approached. "Where could they have come from?" "How did they possibly get in?" Alberta looked up to see me striding towards her, "Rose not now, this is-"_

" _They have Lissa!" Those three words. I felt like collapsing right there as I said them. How could I have let this happen? I had to get to her. I had to bring her back safe. The Guardians stared at me in disbelief until one I didn't recognize spoke up. "Princess Vasilisa Dragomir?"_

" _Yes! One of the Strigoi from the Elementary campus got her. We have to hurry. We have to save her!" I was speaking so frantically I was practically shaking. The group looked around at each other as if they were hoping someone else had an answer. I was on the verge of ripping their heads off before his calm, velvet voice broke my rage._

" _We can set up a perimeter around here," Dimitri was pointing to a map of the school grounds and surrounding area laying on the table in front of him. "This is where the majority retreated. That will be our best bet." My breathing slightly calmed as he formulated a plan, but I knew our chances were slim without an exact location._

 _That's it!_

 _With all the commotion going on I had forgotten to try the bond again. "Hold on." I stepped back from the table and pushed myself into her mind. I was right. She wasn't blocking me out anymore. In fact, she was searching for me. She was terrified, surrounded by impenetrable blackness. I could hear echoing voices around her, but any shadow was dissolved into the surrounding darkness._

" _It's cold and almost pitch black," I voiced my observations to my silent audience. Lissa started moving her hands to try to identify her surroundings and she could feel cool wetness on smooth rocks in both directions. "I think I can hear dripping water. It smells dank and she's surrounded by rocks. A cave maybe?"_

 _I slipped out her mind for a moment to move to the map. "Are there caves in the area?" Alberta quickly surveyed the map. She started at the point Dimitri had pointed out earlier and brushed the area with her fingers until she stopped at the base of what looked like a mountain nearby. "Yes, here," she pointed. "The longest chambers were about half a mile long, but we believed that landslides had blocked both entrances a while back." The Guardian from the fight earlier, Emil, spoke up. "Clearing those wouldn't be too difficult with Strigoi strength." Another Guardian looked at me like I was nuts, "How would she know that?"_

" _Look there's no time to explain we have to get there now. We have to hel—AAHH!" I was yanked into Lissa's head as a searing pain shot into her neck. She was being bitten and I fell to one knee as the sharp fangs sank deeper into her. "LISSA!" My throat felt hoarse from my pleading screams. "He's biting her!" I could feel her fear coursing through me as it mirrored my own._

 _At that moment I no longer felt like I was in her head observing. I was her. I could feel warm blood oozing down my neck, pale hair resting on my cheek as my attacker continued his assault. "No! Get off of her!"_

" _Rose? Is that you?" Her sweet voice called out to me, but her lips hadn't moved. Was I imagining it?_

" _Liss. Liss, can you hear me?"_

" _Rose! Rose, I'm so sorry. I should've stayed put I'm so sorry." I don't know if it was our combined fear, the blood loss, or something else induced by the frantic use of Spirit magic but the bond had finally opened up to her._

" _Liss don't worry. I'm coming to get you. I won't leave you!"_

 _Our attacker pulled back his fangs for an instant to look us straight in the eyes. It was the same Strigoi I had fought in the battle. Rage coursed through me, and Lissa whimpered as my images from earlier passed through her mind. "He wants to kill me Rose. He said he would be revered for claiming the last Dragomir."_

" _I won't let that happen Liss. I know where you are. I'll get to you." I tried to put as much gusto in my voice as I could muster, but she could feel my panic._

" _Don't worry my sweet princess," the Strigoi moved to brush a stray hair from our face. "This will all be over soon." He smiled at us. His horrifying lips curled almost to his ears revealing a mouthful of crimson soaked teeth, excess blood dripping down the sides of his jaw as he spoke. I felt a jolt of fear from Lissa shoot through us just as he lunged forward to sink his teeth into the open wound on our neck again. We simultaneously cried out at the familiar pain; then, just as suddenly as the venomous bite stung, overwhelming pleasure wrapped around us. I had felt the endorphin high many times from Lissa's bite, but this was multiplied ten folds. Lissa's body went limp as paralyzing bliss flowed through it, her mind racing between terror and ecstasy._

 _Her body clung to that wondrous shock, but I could feel her emotions start to recognize the inevitable truth. "Rose. Tell Christian I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tears were filling our eyes and they were starting to become heavy._

" _No Liss don't talk like that. Just hold on. Hold on," I pleaded._

 _Our lips parted as the rapturous euphoria enveloped Lissa, a breathy reply that was softer than a whisper finally escaping her, "I love you Rose." Blackness filled our vision and I was pulled back into my body._

 _I looked ahead to see the Guardians crowded around me with stares of astonishment and fear. "We have to go now," I jolted up. "She's still alive." Alberta placed her hand on my shoulder with a mournful look on her face "Rose..."_

" _Don't! She's still out there. I have to get to her." I shoved passed the circle and headed towards the door. I heard someone call out my name with heavy footsteps behind me, but I refused to look back. There was no way in hell they would stop me from getting to her. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. All those early morning runs had prepared me for this day. The cold wind was whipping past my face as I raced across the school grounds. I had to get to her. I had to save her. It wasn't too late. I bounded towards the back of the school where the Strigoi had entered from, the tree line was in my sight. But just as I crossed the wards I was hit by a brick wall. No, not brick...fire._

 _I was paralyzed by it as the burning sensation coursed through my veins. My blood was boiling in my skin and I collapsed on the ground writhing in pain. I could hear voices above me, strong hands grabbing hold of me, but I couldn't stop thrashing as the fire tore at every part of my being. Just when I thought the pain of the burning would finish me off, I felt my body tearing in two. I screamed out for it to stop, begging for reprieve from my torture. The tearing continued as claws pulled at my insides and split me down the middle. I heard an earsplitting snap as the final pull subsided and I grew still as the dead. The pain had finally ceased, and I felt empty and cold all over. A chill ran through every piece of me from my legs and fingertips to my skull._

 _I could faintly hear someone calling out to me. That voice. His voice. I looked up to see Dimitri hovering over me with desperation and panic on his face. "Rose. Roza." His voice was shaky and unsure. I could feel my shoulders starting to warm under his touch. No._

" _No!" I looked him in the eyes and manifested my thoughts as loud as my cracked voice would allow._

" _We should've been there! We were supposed to protect her! It was our duty!" He seemed shocked by my enraged reaction and tried to calm me down. "No, no, no! You should've been there! You should've been there!" At this point, I didn't know if I was talking to him anymore or myself. All I knew was my best friend was gone, and I had failed her. Another pair of hands grabbed my thrashing limbs and began picking me up off the ground. Hot tears of rage coated my face. I screamed and screamed as they pulled me back from him, leaving Dimitri kneeling on the ground with heart-wrenching hurt in his eyes._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Phew, that was a monster of a chapter. I plan on updating around once a week but with the holidays coming up this weekend I couldn't leave y'all hanging, so I decided to get this one out there a little early. As you can tell, this chapter jumped around from several POVs but that won't always be the case. Eventually, it will narrow down to one or two in each chapter but there are a lot of interesting perspectives in the beginning of this story that need a voice.

I have had some people reach out asking if this will be a Romitri story and I feel like I should clarify here that yes it will be. I love them so much and it kills me to tear them apart like this, but Romitri is definitely the endgame. That doesn't mean Rose won't get some help along the way though ;).

Thanks to everyone out there who is reading!

 ****** After publishing this a reviewer was kind enough to point out a giant mistake I made. The poem Adrian recites comes from a great author, Frank Herbert, that I completely forgot to credit here. Thank you, reviewer, for pointing this out! Adrian can be quite poetic at times, but I can't give his mind (or mine) credit for those beautiful words. ******


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch. 4**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs** : Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues, Answer - Phantogram

A million questions raced through my mind on the short walk to Alberta's office; none I had the answers to. With each new step I tried to compile my thoughts, but it only brought on more unanswered questions that I would soon have to face. I was still in the dark about most of the events that took place the day of the attack and was at a total loss for an explanation of what I had witnessed happening to Rose. But one thing that would have been crystal clear to any witnesses that day, was my obvious and apparent concern for her.

I felt shame for lying to Alberta this whole time. Not only was she my superior, but I admired her greatly and had given her the impression that I was trustworthy enough to mentor a student she had come to love like a daughter. I should have come clean to her immediately after Victor's lust charm but was still unsure of how strong my feelings were for Rose at the time and overestimated my ability to resist her. I thought if I could somehow convince myself that the lies I had created as a cover-up were the actual events that occurred that night, I might be able to continue a professional relationship with Rose and only look back on the true events that unfolded between us in the depths of my dreams.

When I approached Alberta's office, I could hear voices on the other side of the door. Had she already come to a decision and called in the Guardian Council for my termination? Maybe she had anticipated some sort of resistance from me and organized a team to escort me off campus. If that were the case, there was nothing I could do to salvage this relationship, professionally or friendly, and I had nothing left to offer her other than the truth. I knocked on the russet oak door and before I could announce my presence she called out for me to enter. I said one last short prayer under my breath and walked through the entryway to my reprehension.

I held my head up, refusing to look insecure or ashamed for loving my Roza, and wore my stoic Guardian mask ready to deflect the judgmental looks I was sure to receive from the other Guardians in the room. However, when I entered, the room wasn't filled with a multitude of Guardians. No, it was worse.

Alberta stood with her hands pressed to her desk waiting for me to approach, to her right was only one other person leaning casually against the filing cabinet. Her arms were crossed over her chest, announcing that she was completely closed off to me, her auburn curls pulled back tightly to reveal a plethora of molnija marks on her neck, and she stood unnervingly still with a forbidding look fixed in my direction. Guardian Janine Hathaway.

Though I had almost two feet on the Scottish warrior, I felt about as small as a child under her scrutinizing glare. I must have lost my facade and looked as shocked as I felt, seeing that Alberta had to clear her throat to get my attention and motioned for me to take a seat. I nervously shuffled to the open chair in front of her desk and came to the realization that Alberta would be the least of my worries in this room.

"So Dimitri, I assume you know why I called you here," Alberta remained standing behind her desk staring down at me. If these women were carrying out an intimidation tactic, it was definitely working. Microscopic droplets of sweat began forming on my brow as I felt Janine's hot gaze burn a hole in the back of my head. I opened my mouth to speak, but Alberta interjected before my voice had the opportunity to escape.

"We need to go over the events that occurred the day of the Strigoi attack on campus." She switched her attention to some papers laid out in front of her and began reviewing notes she had jotted down.

"Where shall I begin Guardian Petrov?"

She looked up, holding my gaze for a moment, before shooting Janine a sidelong glance, then tilted her head back towards me. "Let's start with the gym. After Rose informed us of the Princess' capture." Her guise slightly faltered at the mention of Vasilisa, but she quickly recovered, ready to hear my take on the events that unfolded.

"I tried to think of the best course of action to conduct a search and rescue for Princess Vasilisa." Normally this would go against protocol but as the last Dragomir, I knew the other Guardians would agree that proactive measures needed to be taken to find the Princess.

"I pointed out the areas of presumed entry and exit of the fleeing Strigoi and outlined a strategy. It wasn't much, but it was the only information we had to go on at the time. Rose then used her bond to try and locate where the Strigoi had taken the Princess. This proved beneficial and brought us to the conclusion that they were likely to be hiding in a colony of caves a few miles outside of campus. Before we could determine our approach, Rose was forcibly pulled into the bond again." I could remember her terrified scream as she was forced to live those moments through Vasilisa's mind. Her brown eyes, normally full of vivacity and magnetism, were hollow as she fell to her knees frantically clutching her neck.

"Please continue." I looked up at Alberta, not realizing I had wavered from the conversation and tried to compose myself. She appeared to be studying my reaction, so I did my best to snap my Guardian mask back into place as I was forced to relay the next painful events.

"Rose voiced that the Princess was being attacked. She and Vasilisa appeared to be having a conversation, which was unusual since the bond had been predominantly one way up until then. It seemed to be affecting her more than I had seen in the past; not just emotionally, but physically as well." I heard a slight huff from behind me at the mention of Rose's physical state. "Rose was consoling the Princess through the bond, informing her of our plan to rescue her. Her emotions increasingly heightened and after a few moments she was released from the bond and pulled back into her own body. We all feared the worst for the Princess, but Rose was determined that she was still alive. She pushed passed the Guardians and fled from the gym."

"And you went after her." Janine had been primarily silent during my debriefing but voiced her observation in a quiet yet uncannily serious tone. I turned, causing creaks from the small wooden chair to echo through the room. I pulled my arm over the back of my chair to fully face her with my reply, "Yes."

She hadn't moved from the same position she was in when I walked into the room. "Why?"

Her question slightly unnerved me. Guardian Hathaway had entered the gym shortly after Rose as part of the requested backup to deal with the attack, and saw the events that unfolded thereafter. She knew what Rose had experienced and the danger she would be facing if she made it to that cave. How could I stand by and do nothing? Let the love of my life rush into certain death? I tried to settle my rising temper before responding and did my best to hide the aversion from my face.

"I knew she intended to try and reach the Princess. With the amount of Strigoi we witnessed fleeing the campus, she would have been highly outnumbered and her efforts, however brave, would have proved inconsequential," She looked puzzled by my response; understandably since not many of us would describe disobeying orders from a superior as "brave". I turned back to Alberta to continue. "As her mentor, I felt it was my responsibility to reason with her and keep her from making a grave mistake. I followed her out of the gym towards the back of the school. She was about to head into the tree line but as soon as she crossed the wards, something stopped her. It was like she hit an invisible wall." Alberta pondered this response for a moment while peering down at her paperwork to gather her next question.

"I understand Rose had been opening up to you about the bond between her and Vasilisa." I nodded in response. "Did she mention the bond affecting her this way? Physically immobilizing I mean."

"No. Sometimes she would seem slightly out of it as she was pulled into Vasilisa's mind, but she was still aware of her surroundings. This...this was something entirely different."

"Can you please explain?"

I tried to swallow but my throat had gone completely dry. Those next moments were some of the most horrifying events of my entire life. I had never felt more helpless as my love was torn to pieces before my eyes. I had barely allowed myself to fathom what had happened and wasn't sure how I would be able to get through the recollection. Anticipation radiated through the room as the two women silently waited for me to speak.

"By the time I could reach Rose, she was writhing on the ground screaming in pain. It was as if she was burning alive, but there were no flames. I tried to call to her to pull her out of the bond, but she only continued her agonizing screams. She was thrashing frantically, and I was afraid she would injure herself, so I tried to subdue her by holding her down. Her skin was feverishly hot, and her eyes were unfocused like a rabid animal. I kept calling her name over and over, but she couldn't hear me. She finally stopped yelling for the burning to stop, but she was still trapped in some sort of gripping torture. It was like something was pulling her away from me, from herself."

"I tried to hold her arms down as she clawed at her sides and neck. I was so afraid the darkness she talked about was completely taking over. All of sudden, she went completely limp and her whole body felt cold. I thought for an instant the pain had been too much and she went into shock, but when I said her name she looked right at me. I could tell she was finally back in her own body, but when she looked at me...her eyes…" I fought with every part of my being to not break down right then and there at the memory of that look. "Her eyes had changed. It was like the part of her that made her who she was, was gone. Her body was still whole, but her soul was shattered."

I'm not sure when Alberta had finally sat down, but she was looking at me intently with a combination of stupor and pity. I gripped my fists to keep my hands from shaking. That was the last time I had felt my Roza in my arms. Right before Alberta and Janine ripped her away from me as she screamed, cursing our love.

"Thank you, Dimitri. I can tell that wasn't easy for you." Alberta had been there for the rest but, like me, she seemed to have a thousand questions still racing through her mind; however, it was Janine that wanted answers.

"What did she mean when she said 'you should have been there'?"

And there it was. The reason I was summoned. "If she had been training with you and opening up to you more than anyone else, why was she reacting to you that way? Especially given your reaction; it would almost seem as if—"

"I am in love with her." It wasn't a question, but a statement. There was no avoiding it now, I had to come clean and make things right. I held my head up high, no longer fearful of my feelings showing through.

"Well that's obvious," Janine scoffed. "I knew that a week ago when I saw the look in your eyes after Rose bolted out of that gym." She finally let her arms down to her side and took two steps closer to me. "But that doesn't answer my question. Why did she turn on you like that? Why is she shutting everyone out, including the person she has supposedly been the most open and comfortable with the past few months?"

My former proud demeanor completely deflated. "I don't know." That same question had haunted me for almost 6 days. Why wouldn't she see me? Why couldn't she let me in?

"You don't know?!" I looked up to meet Janine's furious gaze. "Well, let me take a guess then," she leaned towards me speaking in a low voice with her face inches from mine. "You're a healthy young man with needs just like any. You saw an opportunity to take advantage of a certain _situation_ that presented itself to you." Although her words were quiet and calm, they burned like acid as they slid off her tongue. "Maybe she even came on to you first. Rose is a rebellious girl with a promiscuous reputation. Who could really blame you for—"

"That's enough!" Her biting words rattled me to my core and I gripped the arms of my chair to prevent myself from jumping out of the seat. "Insinuate what you want about me, but do _not_ speak about Rose that way. If you knew anything about her, then those slanderous, distorted remarks would have never even formed as thoughts in your mind. невежественная хаг."

Alberta held her hands up in reprieve at my outburst. "That's enough you two. It's clear we are all here for the same reason and want what's best for the girl. Dimitri, what Janine means to say is we're confused as to why Rose is reacting this way, refusing to let anyone help her." By the look on her face, Janine seemed slightly stunned and stepped back to ground herself against the filing cabinet.

I let out a frustrated sigh and ran my hand through my hair to calm my shot nerves. "I'm not sure. I don't think she blames just me for what happened, she blames herself too. It's possible she thinks that by loving me, and me loving her, we failed Vasilisa."

"I'm not sure I follow, Belikov." Alberta wasn't going to let me off with vague responses. I had been unconsciously denying the possibility of it, but I was quickly being forced into the realization that my Roza had lost her faith in me. I assured her there was a way we could be together without endangering Vasilisa and I failed her.

"After weeks of trying to move past our feelings for each other and resume a professional relationship, it proved impossible. We tried to avoid it. I would've done what was right and buried my feelings for her relentlessly, but I could tell it was eating her up inside as well. When it became apparent that neither of us could move on from this and hiding our feelings was tearing us apart, I offered an alternate solution. After she graduated I would request a reassignment and refuse my offer as the Princess' Guardian. We both agreed it was the only way that we could openly be together with Vasilisa still fully protected. I told her this the morning of the attack, and that evening the Princess was taken."

The two seasoned Guardians turned to each other engaging in a hushed conversation as I stood there in silence, unsure of what was going to happen to me next. I wasn't sure how much more of this I could endure. I had been dealing with all of these emotions and torments in secret for so long, that voicing them aloud now seemed like a betrayal. I would've thought I'd feel relief after finally admitting them to someone, but there was a winding pit in my stomach, like I had been completely drained.

Roza had this undying confidence in me that I could do anything. I failed her just before Victor's trial, and now I had failed her immensely so. How could she ever trust me again? Did I even deserve her trust?

Alberta finally turned to me as Janine took position behind her desk. "Listen Belikov, I am in no way condoning what you have admitted to here today. Your behavior has been completely unprofessional and more than enough as grounds for termination." My face paled as the chance to ever see Rose again started to slip through my fingers. "But Rose has lost too many people already. Even though she's refusing to see you right now, I still think you can help her get through this and sending you away would do more damage in the long run." I looked back and forth between her and Guardian Hathaway in shock, and Janine uncomfortably shifted her gaze to the adjacent wall as she rocked on her heels.

"Thank you, Guardian Petrov." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"As for the other bit, about you asking for a reassignment. It's imperative that information does not leave this room. I saw your dedication out in the field that day and without your warning from Rose, the casualties could have been insurmountable. You are not to blame for what happened to the Princess, but eventually, the Moroi will be looking for someone to hold accountable for this event. If word gets out about your plan to leave your assignment, for another Dhampir nonetheless, I won't be able to protect you. Do you understand?"

I took what she said into great consideration. She was right, and if I had the chance to uphold my bargain to Rose before the attack, this conversation would be only one of many interrogations and investigations.

"Yes. I understand."

"Consider yourself on probation Belikov." It was apparent the discussion was coming to a close, so I nodded in understanding and turned to exit her office.

"Guardian Belikov," Janine called to my back. "I know I haven't been there for the majority of my daughter's life, but make no mistake by thinking that I won't do everything in my power to eliminate the person who inflicts harm on her." I turned to face her so she could see the truth in my eyes when I spoke my next words.

"Then I can honestly say we are both in complete agreeance on the matter." I walked out of the office and shut the door behind me, finally feeling like I could breathe for the first time since entering that godforsaken room.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much to everyone out there reading!

I know I've said this before, but I have to give another HUGE shoutout to ohorpheuss for helping me with this story, and this chapter in particular. It gave me quite a bit of trouble and her amazing insight into Dimitri's mind was a godsend. I commend all of you out there writing DPOV stories and have a newfound appreciation for your skills.

Stay tuned for more to come, and feel free to let me know what you think so far!

MM


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch. 5**

 **Songs:** September Song - Agnes Obel, Arsonist's Lullaby - Hozier

 **RPOV**

After the wave of memories washed over us, Adrian and I were dumbstruck. How could I have let myself forget all those vital moments: the bond finally opening up to Lissa, our shared conversations through it, her dying requests, and then there was...whatever that was outside the wards. I had been too busy selfishly wallowing in my melancholia that I didn't recognize the significance of it all. The thought of it almost sounded like lyrics to an 80's punk rock song that a certain Russian would probably appreciate.

At first, I thought that excruciating feeling was the bond breaking. I felt like I was being ripped in half and could only assume it was Lissa's side of the bond leaving me for good. Adrian, however, seemed to think it was something else. Though what, I'm not sure.

His eyes were unnaturally wide, and his hands were shaking from either a combination of adrenaline and lingering side effects from the memories or the lack of "self-medication" he had been depriving himself of. Even though the splitting of the bond was the most logical explanation for what had happened, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Eventually, I sent Adrian back to his room so I could collect my thoughts. I wasn't normally the one on the side of logic, but what else could it be? Something to do with being shadow kissed maybe? After stewing it over for the better part of an hour, I decided it was time to stop procrastinating and set out to do what I should have done days ago.

I knew I owed him a visit, not for him but for Lissa. A vision of her disapproving look for the amount of time I had taken to visit him popped into my head. The recollection of her scrunched face made me feel equally amused and saddened by it.

I walked over to my dresser, grabbed the first practical outfit I saw, and threw it on to seek out Christian Ozera. I decided going out my window was the best option to avoid my unwanted babysitter still hovering outside my door.

I had only left my room once since the attack and it was for a private ceremony to receive my Zvezda tattoo. Unlike the other molnija marks, this was given when the bearer has been in a battle and killed too many Strigoi to count. Rather than the traditional lightning bolt X design, this tattoo resembled a star. The only people who had been allowed at the ceremony were my mother, Alberta, and the Guardian administering the tattoo. Immediately after the ceremony I returned to my solitude and hadn't left.

I knew exactly where to find him, though. Adrian had told me Christian had been holed up in the church attic for days on end. It made sense. It was the only place he could really be alone before he met Lissa, and after the fact, they had shared an unhealthy amount of time up there together. Some moments I was unfortunately way too involved in for my taste. Back then I resented the bond and having to bear witness to how happy my best friend was in her uncomplicated relationship, but now I would give anything to have it back.

On the walk across campus, I could see red and orange streaks illuminate the dark horizon as the sun started to appear. It was moving so slowly, as if it were afraid to rise out of the darkness. Its hesitation mirrored my own. But I noticed the braver it became, the more shadows fled from its touch. The sun's mellow hues ignited little details here and there, creating an atmosphere resembling soft, glowing flames.

Spring had finally arrived, and the weather had comfortably warmed. Classes still hadn't started back up, but the normal curfews were still in effect, so the grounds were deserted. As I walked alone I noticed how peaceful the campus could be; it was hard to believe so much chaos had wrecked our lives less than a week ago. I paused in front of the church to let a few beams of sunlight soak my skin, hoping those seconds of comforting warmth would stay with me inside and keep the shadows away.

When I walked in, the early amber rays dripped through the patterned windows like sweet honey. The illumination enhanced the church's enigmatic beauty, casting a mesmerizing scene. I always thought the church looked more beautiful during the day, but rarely had the chance to see it. I was never very religious and this place hadn't elicited a spiritual connection for me in the past, but a flutter of emotions suddenly trickled through me as I stood in the grandiose room. Walking past the back pews, memories of whispered conversations echoed through my ears.

" _I don't want to be crazy."_

" _You aren't crazy."_

" _I'm afraid I won't be able to stop it..."_

" _It's not going to happen...you're one of the strongest people I know—you two won't share the same fate. If you are in danger from Lissa's magic, then at least you understand why. She can stop using her magic, and that'll be the end of it."_

" _But can I ask her to do that? I've felt how it makes her feel. I don't know if I can take that away from her._ _Besides, they come first, right?"_

" _Not always," . . . . "Sometimes, Rose, you have to know when to put yourself first."_

I pushed the foregoing shadow-kissed conversations with the man I had loved back into the depths they had crept from. It appeared the ghosts of my transgressions would haunt me even in this celestial place.

I continued walking down the aisle but wavered momentarily at the front. I ran my hand along the smooth wood of one of the stalls Lissa had often occupied, picturing her golden hair falling over the back of it. I closed my eyes, holding onto that memory; I wouldn't make the mistake of forgetting her again.

I let my hand slide off the wooden bench and headed towards the attic stairs. Each slow step up made an intruding creak and I was sure Christian would be at the entrance waiting for me. However, when I entered the dimly lit room he was standing at a large mahogany table covered in a pile of books, completely undisturbed. I stood frozen for a minute. The sight of him brought back so many recent memories; the battle, our combined strength against the Strigoi, and most of all, Lissa. All the times I had seen him through her eyes, had felt her sweet love for him. And now, all that love was gone. When he finally looked up, I could see in his icy blue eyes that he was feeling the exact same thing.

"Rose."

His voice was so quiet I could barely recognize my own name. "Hey, Chris." I awkwardly scratched the scarring skin on the back of my neck, suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable and possibly for the first time in my life, at a loss for words.

He stared at me for another moment, only increasing my uneasiness, then realizing what a creeper he must have looked like he shook himself off. "I uh...I'm glad you came," he said as he closed one of the books he had been pouring through.

"Yeah, well I figured it was about time I paid the Phantom a visit," my attempt at a lame joke did little to ease our discomfort. I moved closer to the table and picked up one of the discarded books: _Ancient Moroi History: Legends of Saints & Scholars._ "I see you've been doing some light reading."

Christian looked pointedly at the table of strewn books. "In our spare time, Lissa and I had been doing some research on the bond and shadow kissed. Adrian told her about the darkness in your auras and she was determined to find the reasoning behind it. She hoped we could figure out a way to mitigate it or at least control it," he had this faraway look, like he was captured by some memory. "At first, I thought she was becoming obsessive over it, but after hearing how it affected the two of you with those Mână punks, I understood how important it was. I feel like I owe it to her to keep going," his saddened expression shot daggers through my chest. _My fault_.

He looked up at me and could see the pity and self-loathing written all over me. "You know, so you don't get any crazier than you already are." My attempt at a half-smile failed for the second time in the last 24 hours.

"I've been doing a little research myself with Adrian. That's actually what I came here to talk about." I motioned over to a couple of chairs and waited for him to take a seat across from me before continuing.

"After...that day," my mind struggled to find the right words and I took a calming inhale through my nose to collect myself. "I pushed all of those memories to the back of my mind. They were too hard to deal with at the time. But eventually, I came to my senses and asked Adrian to help me retrieve them."

I told him everything. From leaving the courtyard and Dimitri planning a rescue strategy, to the bond opening and Lissa hearing me in her head. I told him about her apologies and declarations of love as the blonde Strigoi drained her. He sat still as I spoke, but when I started to explain what happened outside the wards he sat up in his chair a little straighter, focusing on every significant detail, and I made sure not to leave a single component out. When I finally finished we sat in silence for a good while. Relaying all those painful details left me feeling like I had been punched in the gut. I nervously rubbed my arm as I tried to steady my breath.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think Adrian might be right," his admission baffled me and pulled my attention back to him.

"Seriously? I never thought I'd see the day where Christian Ozera agreed with—"

"I know, I know. But hear me out," he interjected. "I've only found a few instances in these books where bonded pairs have lost their bondmate; like Anna and Vladimir. There are mentions of it taking an emotional toll on her, mentally affecting her, but it never mentioned a physical experience like what you just described." He hopped up from his chair and strode back over to the table. I watched as he shuffled through a couple of the books, finally deciding on one with a worn leather bind and pages aged with a yellowish tint. I walked up behind him as he turned page after page, and noticed another book to his left with a red sticky note peeking out. I opened the book and saw a section marked with circles and question marks. "What's this," I asked.

"Hmm? Oh, that." He looked over to see the passage in question. "I thought it was interesting."

I read the circled portion aloud: " _His skills were unmatched in transforming the undead and he was revered for his salvation of the lost souls_." I could only assume this was another passage about St. Vladimir. "Why did this particular part interest you? It just sounds like all the stuff we read about using spirit to heal, like Lissa did with me."

"That's what I thought at first too, but all those other references were worded differently. Here it clearly states, 'transforming the undead'. It could be nothing, but I was hoping to find another mention of it in more detail somewhere else."

I replayed that phrase in my head a few times: _transforming the undead_. "You think it is referring to shadow kissed?"

"I'm not sure, but after you mentioned seeing Mason I thought it could be worth looking into."

 _Mason_. "That's it! Why didn't I think of this sooner?"

"Think of what," Christian asked, confused by my outburst.

"Mason. Maybe he's still out there. Maybe I can ask him about Lissa. He could know what happened outside the wards." Christian looked at me slightly unconvinced. Who could blame him? I was suggesting seeking out a ghost for advice on Spirit magic and shadow kissed bonds. "I have to go. I'll let you know what I find out." Christian nodded as I headed towards the door.

Before I took a step down the stairs, I turned back to thank him or offer some kind of friendly condolences, but he was already in the same position I had found him in, pouring through the pages of old tattered books.

* * *

 **A/N:** Happy NYE! I know I mentioned posting once a week, but since this chapter is another shorter one I decided to give you a little New Year's treat. Thanks a million to everyone out there reading and I hope you enjoyed finally getting a little bit of Christian in your lives. Next chapter will have some long-awaited action so stay tuned!

I wish all of you a Happy New Year's and hope everyone receives a midnight kiss from their Dimitri Belikov...whoever that may be ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch. 6**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs:** Breezeblocks – Alt J, Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

I slept adequately for the first time in days. Not out of comfort or want, but from complete exhaustion. I retreated to my room after my conversation with Alberta and Janine and was so mentally drained that I fell asleep immediately after falling face first onto my bed.

I dreamt of Roza. There were no exchanges of words or familiar conversations, only flashes of images of her. The sunlight shining on her hair as she ran by me, memories of her nervously biting her lip—and her smile. Her beautiful, daring smile. When I finally woke and came back to harsh reality, I wanted nothing more than to bury my head in those memories. But trying to latch on to them was like catching smoke with my bare hands.

Then the usual thoughts came. _Why won't she let me in? When will she finally see me? Does she still love me? Do I even deserve her love?_

In a fleeting attempt to escape from my thoughts I reverted to my recent routine and headed towards the gym. I had slept longer than I thought, and the gym was already filled with Guardians. Since the attack, many of us had become restless and frequented the gym more often than not. I avoided eye contact with any of them and headed straight to my familiar corner. Luckily, most of the regular attendees here were used to my surly demeanor and left me to my excessive conditioning.

Hit after hit landed on the stationary bag. I was starting to feel unfulfilled and considered abandoning my solitary post to go for a run. However, my thoughts betrayed me and immediately shifted to Roza. Our morning runs together had quickly become one of the highlights of my day as we challenged one another, increasing our strides. The images of her next to me brought me back to my earlier dreams and I started pounding the bag harder. Just when I thought I was on the verge of breaking another one, I was interrupted.

"Belikov!"

The shout came from across the gym and the familiar voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned around, hoping my ears had misled me, only to be sorely disappointed. Sure enough, Janine Hathaway was standing in the middle of the sparring ring with the same hostile look on her face as the day before.

"Guardian Hathaway," I replied, gritting through my teeth.

"Are you going to stay in that corner all day unleashing on that worn out old punching bag, or do you fancy a test of your skills against a live opponent?" The surrounding chatter died down and I could feel curious eyes flit between me and the Scottish Guardian. Tension between us rose as I stood there staring at her, unsure how to respond. I didn't know if I would be able to keep my emotions in check and wasn't keen on a repeat incident of my last sparring match.

"Oh c'mon Belikov, I'll go easy on you," she boasted placing her hands on her hips. I could hear light chuckles from some of the Guardians nearby. "Besides, I'm very interested to see what you've been teaching my daughter."

Her slight may have gone unnoticed by the majority of the surrounding onlookers, but it was enough to make me send all reservations out the window. I strode over to the center of the room and stepped into the sparring ring to face her full on. Janine cracked her knuckles and took position across from me as others gathered to watch the spectacle. One of the Guardians who regularly reffed the sparring matches began walking up to the ring, but with a wave of her hand Janine shooed him away. Apparently, she wasn't interested in making this a clean fight. Guardian Hathaway had a renowned reputation for her combat skills. Her size and initial demeanor may have fooled some, but I wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating her.

It scared me how badly I wanted this. I could feel my anger and aggression starting to cloud my judgement and I quickly had to put myself in check. There was a darkness in my blood, the only thing my good-for-nothing father had given me, and I constantly fought to keep it at bay. I had lost control of it before and unleashed my fury upon him after witnessing him abuse my mother for the last time. I would never take back my actions that day, but I promised I wouldn't allow myself to sink down to his level again. When I fought it would be with honor, not with malice or a desire for domination. I inhaled a cleansing breath and took my initial stance.

"Ready," Janine questioned. I shot her a quick nod in reply and with that, it was on.

She lunged at me, immediately going on the offense, and tried to catch me off guard. I easily blocked her first attack and tested her deftness with a sweep towards her left thigh. She managed to evade my kick and repositioned herself for a counter attack. This went on for a few minutes, the both of us testing one another's skills one maneuver at a time until Janine seemed satisfied with what she was able to pick up on. She cranked up the speed and intensity of her blows and I returned in kind.

She threw a left hook towards my side and immediately followed with a roundhouse towards my shoulder. I was able to block her first attack, but the second hit caused me to falter to the side. I righted myself in time to avoid another kick towards my face, pushing her leg back and throwing a punch at her chest. I made contact for the first time since we had started, and I could see fury in Janine's eyes.

She leapt towards me throwing a series of punches as I tried to keep up with her incredible speed. I dodged and blocked the majority of her hits and pushed myself further back from her reach before responding. I knew my speed was relatively unmatched, especially for my size, but Janine's was unlike any I had seen before. We began circling each other like two wild predators as our audience shouted cheers for either side. I decided I would have to use my strength against her instead and lunged at her waist. She avoided my grab, but I was able to throw an elbow between her shoulder blades. Janine fell forward to the mat but rolled before I could catch hold of her. She propped herself up on one of her knees and landed a kick to my left tibia. I folded over as the pain shot through my leg and she used the opportunity to leap onto my back. Before she could successfully put me in a chokehold I grabbed her right leg and threw her off of me.

We fell into another rhythm of blocking, dodging, and attacks and I could see her anger starting to boil over for how long this was taking. I saw an opening in between her blocks and reached for her wrists. I pulled her back against me so that she could no longer throw any punches towards me. Janine struggled for a moment then swung the back of her head into my jaw and simultaneously used her leg and body weight to trip me, pulling us both down towards the ground. She managed to escape my hold during our tumble and pounced on top of me. Before I could react, she had one leg bent across my torso with the other putting pressure on my throat. She used both of her hands to hold down my right arm, and the backs of her legs to pin my left arm to my side. I tried shifting out of her grip but was slightly punch-drunk from the blow to my jaw and my airflow was being quickly cut off from the pressure of her knee.

She leaned closer towards my face, whispering so that no one else could hear. "I've heard people here call you a god, but seeing your behavior these past few days gives me little hope in this school's judge of character." I stared back into her furious eyes.

"Your combat skills were...impressive," she sounded less than impressed. "But the way you've been brooding about, sulking in vacant corners, only amplifies my initial thoughts from yesterday: my daughter deserves better." I stilled at her affront. "You say you love her, but you've shown me little to prove that. You've given up. On her, and on yourself."

Her words seeped into me like a poisonous sting, momentarily immobilizing me. Still in a precarious position, I channeled that pain into rage; not rage at her, but rage at myself.

With one final attempt at escape, I threw my legs towards her. I latched onto her torso and slammed her back to the ground. I gasped for air when her leg finally freed my throat and could see her doing the same as my hit knocked the wind out of her. Noticing how close she was to my reach, a panicked look crossed her face and she rolled to her side, attempting to stand. Before she could make her move, I swung my leg towards hers, sweeping her back down. She laid there holding her head and stomach and I slowly raised to a standing position next to her. I heard familiar voices shouting congratulatory remarks towards me, but ignored them and kept my focus on my fallen opponent.

"You're right," I responded. "I've acted completely unworthy and undeserving of her. Even if she won't see me now, I still need to find a way to help her." I reached my hand down towards Janine and she stared at me in astonishment. She hesitantly reached for my hand and I pulled her up. "I will not give up on her." When she was steady on her feet I turned and left the ring, feeling a mix of shame, pride, and for the first time in over a week...hope.

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Bad Dream - Ruelle**

I had been standing outside the wards for almost fifteen minutes and there was still no sign of Mason. I started to think that maybe he had finally moved on, or maybe he didn't want to see me. After everything I had done, he would most likely be ashamed of me.

"Mase, please. I need to talk to you," I recited for about the tenth time. After another moment of silence, I decided he probably wasn't going to show and turned to head back to the school.

Suddenly I felt a slight chill trickle from my shoulders to my fingertips. I whipped around expecting to see his transparent figure, but there was nothing there. "Mase. Mason, are you out there?" The chill started to grow, and I slowly backed towards the wards still facing the outskirts of the tree line. I started to feel something else more familiar course through me. A faint pull luring me in. _It couldn't be_ , I thought to myself. The feeling completely disappeared as one of my feet breached the bounds of the wards. I stood there for a moment, one foot on each side of the protective barrier and decided to come back out.

When I was clear of the border I could sense Lissa's bond barely tugging at me, but there was something different and chilling about it. Just then, Mason appeared right in front of me. He was shaking his head with a stern look on his face. I couldn't tell if he was trying to tell me something or if he was expressing his disappointment in me, but the chill was still growing.

"What are you trying to say? What is happening?" He placed his hands out ahead of him as if he was trying to push me back towards the wards. His mouth started to move, and it almost looked like he was saying _go_. Before I could decipher his message, it was if my presence was recognized and I could feel the other side of the bond shudder. I wasn't completely pulled in, like I had been so many times before; my vision was blurred and I felt queasy.

As my eyes started to adjust I could see a pair merlot colored t-strap pumps slowly walking along a patterned cream carpet. There was something familiar about that pattern, but I couldn't quite place it. Light humming of a familiar tune trickled into my ears, distracting me from my investigative thoughts. This couldn't be happening, it was impossible. Lissa was gone. Had I finally let too much of the darkness in and gone completely mad?

I tried focusing on the humming and thought it sounded like Lissa's voice but again, something wasn't quite right. I started to feel hopeful that maybe the Strigoi had left her alive. It would mean that she was still being held captive somewhere but at least she wasn't dead.

"Lissa," I quietly questioned aloud.

I heard a light giggle followed by, "Hello Rose."

It was most definitely her voice. My heart started racing. Were the wards messing with our bond? Why couldn't I sense her before? But more importantly, she was alive. My best friend was alive.

"Rose, Rose, Rose _tsk tsk._ Always the one to jump to conclusions." Her voice was still a little muffled, but I could tell she wasn't nearly as excited to hear from me as I was to hear from her. She almost seemed...amused. Her footsteps stopped and turned towards a wall, her gaze slowly climbing up. She was deliberately showing me something, a clue as to where she was perhaps? Her vision ran over intricately carved filigree molding that bordered the edges of the floor. As her gaze rose up to an antique gold painted table I tried to memorize every detail. She kept rising, painfully slow, and I could just make out the bottom of a mirror. "Liss, what are you do—"

When her gaze finally caught mine, I knew exactly what she was trying to show me. "Ah there you are Rose," she said as her crimson eyes shot daggers through my soul. She wasn't alive. She was Strigoi.

A cold, fanged smile that betrayed all form of innocence formed on her face as my realization ricocheted through the bond. My emotions were no longer clouding my judgement and it was instantly apparent what was off with her voice and the chilled sensation. Before, I had felt warmth and human emotion when I was pulled into her mind, but now I felt cold and lacking all empathy. There was an underlying feeling of rage and hunger coursing through her but no other signs of humanity, all virtue and love bled from her.

"How do you like the new look," she asked sardonically. I was speechless. "What, cat got your tongue? You were never one to shy away from a conversation, that was more of my mo."

"Liss, I...I'm so sorry," I shakily replied.

"Yeesh were you always such a bore? I've been waiting days for you to finally show up to chat and this is what I get?"

"Waiting? You mean you knew this would happen? That the bond was still open?"

She began inspecting her nails, feigning boredom as she responded. "Not for certain, but I had my suspicions. But that's not what I want to talk about right now." Her once jade-green eyes now painted blood red shot a serious glare into the mirror that caused me to jolt.

"I need you here Rose. Now that I have been transformed, I have never seen things more clearly. The way they treated us was pathetic. Keeping us bound, making us hide who we really are. Now I know who I was always meant to be, and I want you to join me. To rule by my side." Her voice was sickly sweet, like rotting lilies. "Think about it. In your world, they look down on you. See you as inferior. You'll live your short life as a shadow when we both know that isn't who you are. With me, you would be revered as a goddess." The last word hissed off her tongue.

Lissa was my best friend and there was a time I would do anything for her. Her angelic face stared at me with wonder and hunger for my response. Lissa could be passionate and driven when there was a cause she truly believed in, but I realized this—this creature was just a hollow shell of who she used to be. The old Lissa had her reservations, but demeaning our culture and traditions? No, this wasn't her. Her argument may be tempting to some, but it was something I would refuse to bite.

"No."

Although my rejection was simple, it was if I had thrown kerosene onto that small flickering flame of rage and it erupted into a blaze of fury within her.

"You dare deny me?! You swore to be my protector, my Guardian. You promised you would find me, and you failed! You owe me your LIFE!" She lunged at the mirror and the image sent me soaring backwards, terror coursing through me at the monster Lissa had become. I fell into the plush grass and my vision immediately returned to me. I looked around and realized I had fallen back to the other side of the wards. My heart was practically pounding out of my chest and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath.

I scrambled to my feet, digging my fingers into the dirt and immediately bolted from the scene. I raced back towards campus with only one goal in mind. I had to find him and tell him what I saw. Right now, he was the only one I trusted to help me.

* * *

 **A/N** : One day I'll get on an actual posting schedule. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Thoughts on the fight scene? I have another one coming in the not so distant future so would love to hear what y'all think. Thanks for reading!

MM


	7. Chapter 7

**Ch 7**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs:** Blue Veins – The Raconteurs, Vienna - Billy Joel

I returned to my room to have a quick shower and formulate a plan. Janine was right, if Rose wouldn't see me, I needed to find another way to help her. I was going to have to swallow my pride and seek out Adrian Ivashkov. As much as it still pained me that she had opened up to him and not me, Rose was more important than my stupid ego and I needed to talk to him about what was going on with her.

I had already radioed the Guardian on patrol outside her room and he informed me that Ivashkov had left several hours ago and hadn't returned yet. I realized I knew little about his habits and was unsure where he would be. I decided the guest quarters would be the best place to start and walked over to my dresser to grab a shirt. As soon as I pulled it over my head, I heard my door fly open as someone burst through. I whipped around ready to take on my intruder, only to be stunned still.

"Roza." Her name escaped my lips before my thoughts even registered that it was her.

The images from my memories that were keeping me company for a week had nothing compared to the beautiful creature in front of me. She stood there staring at me in a similar state of stupor. Her breathing was heavy and her hair was in tangles, indicating that she had raced over here. I was quickly reminded of the last time she busted through my door and the events that followed due to Victor's lust charm. I started to think maybe she was just a hallucination my tormented mind had created as we both stood there frozen. Her wild eyes were simmering with some of the familiar passion for life they used to exude, and I had this overwhelming urge to reach out and touch her.

I took one step forward and her gaze immediately shot to the floor, as if the spell between us instantly broke. I could see her discomfort as she crossed her arms around her stomach and the small action stung deep within me. It appeared she still didn't want to see me, but something had brought her here nonetheless.

"I need to talk to you," she voiced, still avoiding looking at me.

I took a couple steps away from her to give her some space. "Please, come in."

Rose turned to shut the door behind her and walked closer into my room. She looked around as if she was noticing her surroundings for the first time. I guess it made sense since the last time she was here she was under compulsion, but I suddenly felt very naked and vulnerable as she took in the elements of my private life.

"Would you like to sit," I asked in an attempt to alleviate some of the awkwardness. My voice seemed to startle her out of some deep thought and she shook her head in response.

"I need to talk to you about Lissa," she asserted with the professional Guardian tone that she so often heard from me. I responded in kind, pushing emotion from my voice to avoid scaring her off. Rose began pacing in my small space as she began telling me the events that brought her to my room.

By the time she had stopped pacing I was seated on my bed in complete shock and disbelief. Not only was the Princess a Strigoi, she was still bonded to Rose. With Rose's emotional state already so fragile, I was terrified what this would do to her. I wanted nothing more in that moment than to pull her into my arms and tell her how I would keep her safe. It was killing me being so close to her, yet so far away from her. Was it possible to miss someone who was right in front of you?

She looked up at me, her eyes finally meeting mine. There was a serious note behind them that she sometimes got when a plan had formulated in her mind, and I felt unnerved by what she was about to say.

"We have to go after her."

My eyes widened, and my breathing hitched. Although I had deduced that this was exactly the sort of thing she would be requesting, I had desperately hoped she wouldn't. Now it was my turn to shamelessly look away as I tried to decide how to respond. I had been waiting all this time for her to finally open up to me. Searching for ways to help her. Now there she was, giving me that opportunity—and I was hesitant. I wanted her to know I would do anything for her, but I wasn't sure if I had it in me to put her in a direct line of danger. However, Rose knew me too well and already sensed my reservations. Her fists clenched by her side and she interjected before I could even muster a reply.

"You know better than anyone why I have to do this. You said it yourself on the bus: you would rather be dead than be one of them," the unspoken promise that we had made that day came back to me. "I can't let her continue walking around as a monster. It's our fault she's this way and we _have_ to do this one last thing for her." Her accusation put pressure on the already open wound and caused me to wince.

She turned her back to me with her hands on her hips, focusing her gaze out my window. With her warrior stance in place, I couldn't help but stare at the strong, alluring goddess before me. Her loyalty and passion to help her friends was a quality that radiated through every fiber of her being, and this request only proved it. Vasilisa was gone and Rose was still willing to lay down her life for her. If I took that away from her, what would she become? Who would she be?

"You're right," I finally let out. Rose turned her head slightly to the side acknowledging my response but still avoided looking in my direction.

"But we need some time. We don't know what we are up against and we need to formulate a plan."

She turned her face back towards my window. "I should've known you would try to talk me out of it. You were always the rational one," she responded with disappointment laced in sadness.

"Roz—" I could see her shoulders tense as my term of endearment unconsciously rolled off my tongue. "Rose. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I'm just saying we need to be smart about this. I think I know someone who can help us, you just have to trust me." I started to think about a couple from my village that Yeva had told me were bonded. Their interactions with each other are what tipped me off about Rose and Vasilisa when I brought them back to the academy. I didn't know the extent of their bond or if they had any experience with Rose's shadow kissed side effects, but they would be our best bet on getting the information we needed.

Rose let out a heavy breath and dryly responded, "Okay." She dropped her arms and started heading towards the door. I knew how persistent Rose could be, especially when it came to something she was passionate about. Her stubbornness could drive me mad some days, but it was also one of her most endearing qualities. It started to dawn on me that if she truly believed this is what needed to be done, she would find a way—with or without me.

Unconvinced that she was fully taking in what I was saying, I leapt from the bed and strode towards her. In a desperate attempt to keep her from leaving, I reached for her arm and felt the familiar bolts of electricity shoot through me as our skin touched. Her head snapped towards my hand on her arm and she slowly looked up towards me. A light flush filled her cheeks and she swallowed down any objections that may have escaped her. The look she wore baffled me. Was she longing for my touch? Or was she desperate to be released from my grasp?

I stared deep into her dark eyes, hoping she would see the seriousness behind mine as I pleaded for her to agree to my conditions, "Rose, please just tell me you won't do anything rash. I'll figure something out, but you just have to be patient."

We stood that way for a moment longer, gazes locked as we tried to decipher what the other was thinking. Then she turned her gaze towards the floor again and meekly nodded in response. I released her arm and she instantly vanished from my room, leaving me standing there alone staring at my closed door.

 **RPOV**

Songs: Nothing Else Matters – Lissie, Edge of Seventeen - Fleetwood Mac

Seeing Dimitri had been equally exhilarating as it was devastating. His chocolate eyes radiated hidden messages of longing and love. My cold heart threatened to slightly thaw at the sight of those eyes and if I stared into them too long, I thought it would melt completely; pleasantly sloshing like warm water in my chest. His damp hair hung loosely at his shoulders and my fingertips twitched at the memory of running his silky strands through my hands. I realized I was on the verge of letting myself give into my selfish wants again and had to tear my gaze away from him in order to push my rising emotions away. There was no longer room for anything other than Lissa. Focusing all of my thoughts on her helped to keep my feelings at bay. I needed to keep this icy hold on myself to do what needed to be done. I failed at putting her first once, and I wouldn't do it again.

Leaving his room left me suppressing another familiar emotion that I still hadn't quite figured out how to get a grasp on. Guilt. Even though we weren't together anymore, and I would no longer let myself give into my feelings for him, I still respected Dimitri and trusted him with the information I had given him. That's why it pained me so much to lie to him.

" _...you just have to be patient."_ His words ran through my mind.

Not only was I the least patient person I had ever met, this was far too important to me to just sit on while he contacted whoever it was that he thought could help us. No, I would have to find another way.

After leaving his room I quickly sent a few text messages and started heading towards the church attic. Christian would be my first stop, but there were a couple others I would need to recruit as well. When I entered the dimly lit room, Adrian and Eddie were already there waiting for me.

"Hey there little Dhampir. Nice to see you out and about," Adrian flashed a lazy smile and I shot him a sarcastic salute in return.

"Hey Rose," Eddie voiced hesitantly. We hadn't spoken since the incident and I could tell he was still full of grief and guilt. I gave him a tight smile and walked towards him. I put my hand on his shoulder to let him know we were good, and catching me by surprise he pulled me in for a tight hug. I allowed one tear to escape but quickly wiped it away as we pulled apart.

"Well, now that we've gotten that over with, are you going to tell us what you called us all here for," Christian voiced in his usual snarky tone. "Not that it wasn't touching and all."

I took a deep breath and readied myself to unleash the giant bomb on them, "You're gonna want to sit down for this."

I admit, I was half expecting Christian to completely fall apart when I told him what I saw. He had lost his family to Strigoi and now Lissa, but to my surprise, he was still holding it together. I had to give the guy credit.

When I finished telling them what had happened and what I planned to do, the three of them stared at me in disbelief, similar to how Dimitri had looked. I was about ready to scream after what felt like an eternity of silence when Christian finally spoke up. "Transforming the undead."

"What," Eddie and Adrian asked in unison. It seemed that phrase had stuck with Chris just as much as it did with me. He got up from his seat and headed towards the table of books.

"Transforming the undead. It doesn't mean healing people like Lissa did with Rose. Look here," he pulled the familiar book from the pile and handed it to Adrian.

"Yes, I remember this verse," Adrian scrolled over the text with his fingers. "I've heard some conspiracy theories that center around it. But you couldn't possibly think..."

"Think what," Eddie questioned, still confused.

"That it means restoring Strigoi. Transforming the undead back to their original state," I quietly replied as clear realization finally dawned on me.

"I didn't think of it before," Christian turned towards me, "but when you said Lissa described herself as being 'transformed', it finally clicked. It's probably a long shot."

"Longer than long," Eddie added.

"But if there's any chance that it's real, we have to find out how." Christian stood there looking between me and Adrian hoping one of us were crazy enough to agree with him.

"Lissa and I had been looking into other possible Spirit users before…well, before," Adrian started. "There were a couple leads I was able to track down. We could start there and see if they know more about it than we do." A spark of hope crossed Christian's features and he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get anything out Adrian interjected. "However, Ozera, it's very possible this is just the crazy ramblings of Spirit induced madness," he looked towards me with a questioning gaze. Apparently, I had just been nominated as the unofficial leader of this misfit brigade.

I knew Adrian was right, I had experienced only a fraction of this madness and had seen firsthand what it could cause someone to become. But I also knew there was no way in hell Christian would let this go and if I was being honest with myself, neither would I.

I let out a breath and nodded to Christian in agreeance. Eddie and Adrian responded in kind and the four of us began to formulate a plan. Just as the sun started to go down again we had almost all the arrangements in motion. I knew how much everyone was risking, especially Eddie, but we were all determined to do what it took to help Lissa—one way or another.

Tomorrow, on my 18th Birthday I would withdraw from school and there would be nothing left to hold us back. Big, outlandish parties were so overrated anyways.

* * *

 **A/N:** I had several people reach out, wondering who Rose was running to. Hopefully, this didn't disappoint. Coming up: we will finally be leaving the academy! Exciting things ahead :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch. 8**

 **CPOV**

 **Songs: Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me - Low, Trouble – Coldplay, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths**

After spending weeks in the church attic, my room felt like a strange place that no longer belonged to me. I was lucky enough to not be burdened with a roommate and could have properly mourned Lissa here alone, but I desperately craved a space that radiated _her_. In a world shadowed by the darkness of my past, she had been my light, and I wanted to bask in every memory we shared and hold on for dear life. As I continued on in that attic, searching for the answers that she had needed, I could almost feel her familiar warmth beside me pushing me forward. It was like I was keeping a part of her alive.

Every so often, the moonlight gleaming through the lone stained-glass window would play tricks on my mind. Orange and red figures would take shape in my peripherals and I would find myself calling out her name into the empty room, only to be met with the echo of my anguished cries. The relenting loneliness in those moments was enough to make me want to collapse and wallow in my agony, but after hearing about Rose's state I knew I had to keep going. I had to be strong for the both of us. It's what Lissa would want. It's what Lissa would do.

I absentmindedly threw clothes into the duffle bag on my bed, not caring what I was grabbing as my thoughts kept replaying the plan over and over. Adrian and I would venture out to find other Spirit users to gain as much information as we could on restoration while Eddie and Rose would start looking for Lissa. I pulled Rose aside as she started to leave, with the intent to bring up a point we hadn't addressed.

" _Rose, wait."_ _I knew with her Guardian training it most likely already crossed her mind, but I needed to make sure she understood what had to be done. I looked over her shoulder making sure the other two had vacated the room. "If we…if I can't," I struggled to find the right words. "I want to believe it's out there: the information we need to bring her back. But if we can't find it in time, or there is any point where you and Eddie's lives are in danger, I need to make sure you do the right thing." She stared back at me with that stone cold look she had been wearing since the attack._

" _When my parents turned, I saw what became of them. I grew up thinking that Strigoi were these untouchable monstrous beings…but my parents looked the same, sounded the same. My mother called to me, holding out her arms just like she always had. I miss them, more than anyone knows, but I am grateful every day for what Tasha and those Guardians did. They weren't my parents anymore. I'm not sure if I knew it then or if I was just scared, but I know it now. In the end, if it comes down to you or Lissa…"_

 _I looked at her waiting for a response, and with complete and utter seriousness she promised, "I won't hesitate."_

There was nothing I wanted more than to look into Lissa's jade green eyes again as I pulled her in for a tender kiss, to hear her sweet voice say my name one last time. But only if it was really her, not some illusion created by sinister magic that was keeping her animated. I also knew if we found a way to eventually help her and something that she had done caused harm to those she loved, she would never find a way to forgive herself. A light knock on my door pulled me from my gloomy thoughts and I hurriedly shuffled the excess clothes and duffle bag under my bed.

"Yeah." I tried to push out as much annoyance as I could to hide the worry in my voice. The door cracked open and my aunt poked her head through.

"Hey, Chris. I heard you were down here. Can I come in for a sec?" Tasha had been giving me my space, only checking on me enough to make sure I was still visiting the feeders. Plopping down on the end of the bed, I nodded and motioned for her to enter. She carefully stepped in and shut the door behind her before taking a seat at my baron desk.

"Well, I'm not going to give you some cliché 'I know this is close to home' or 'you'll get through this' speech, because that's not really our style, but I still want to make sure you're doing alright."

"Thanks," I replied, contented that she wasn't the type to force me into an uncomfortable conversation.

"I know everything with Lissa is still…fresh," the term made me cringe. "But I also wanted to tell you how proud of you I am."

My brow furrowed at this, a little confused by her meaning. "I heard that you fought with some of the Guardians during the attack. I talked to Guardian Petrov, and she told me you and Rose ran to the elementary campus and killed dozens of Strigoi. I know we have talked, or I have talked, about using magic offensively before, but it's a whole other thing when you are actually faced with them in person. Even though the losses here have been grave, what you did saved countless people."

I hadn't really given it that much thought with everything else that had gone on. Looking back on it though, I remember it being one of the most exhilarating moments of my life. Seeing their flesh burn as Rose staked them through the heart sparked an unnatural satisfaction within me. The sights and smells were enough to make someone like me gag or pass out from fear, but I revelled in it. I would have been ashamed of feeling that way except for the fact that we were doing it to save innocent people. However, with all the good we had done—we still failed to save the one person that mattered the most to us both. The mouthy bastard that took her was inches from us before disappearing. I wanted to abandon our post and go after him right then and there, I could see in Rose's eyes that she did too. My instincts started to pull me towards her, but the terrified screams from the children in the dorms behind us grounded me in place. Yes, we saved many—but how many were worth Lissa's life?

As if she had read my train of thoughts, Tasha placed her hand on my shoulder and gave it a loving squeeze. "Your bravery hasn't gone unnoticed and amidst all this tragedy, I hope you can see all the good that you've done."

I took a sharp inhale and looked down, slightly embarrassed to receive praise but still feeling a sense of pride. I couldn't let my thoughts wander there anymore. Not when there was a chance for me to help her again. "It felt good to not feel helpless for once and fight back," I voiced aloud.

Tasha beamed at my response before dropping her hand. "I'm glad to hear you say that. Which leads me to something else I wanted to discuss with you. I know we haven't talked that much about what you plan to do after graduation." The mention of it caused my stomach to drop. I had been planning to follow Lissa to wherever she wanted to go. I wasn't really that into the idea of college before her, but she had been deadest on it and I would do anything to stay near her. I had no idea what a future could be like without her in it.

"I was thinking, if you want, you could leave St. Vlad's and come with me. With everything going on here, I thought maybe you would want to get away. I could get a place closer to court where you could finish school, then we could discuss the possibility of getting involved in politics at court. I know our family, myself especially, hasn't been that influential since Moira and Lucas but I think you and I could really make a difference in the case of Moroi using offensive magic."

During our last visit to court, Tasha had been very outspoken on her opinions, but I didn't know she was seriously planning on moving back there and devoting all her time to the cause. It seemed very admirable considering how our community had treated us. Although most Moroi would disagree, using our magic offensively would be a huge advantage; something I had just proven. I knew standing by her as an example could potentially help her claims, but there were more pressing matters I had to focus on right now. We all agreed that the fewer people who knew what we were doing the better. Tasha was my only _real_ family and I trusted her, but I couldn't risk our mission by letting her in.

She sat there patiently waiting for my response as I presumably mulled over what she was offering. "You're right. With everything that's happened, there isn't really anything left for me here now, but I started my education at St. Vladimir's and I think it would be best to finish it here as well." I could see slight disappointment cross her face, but she was still remaining supportive. "However, your offer to go to court with you and advocate for offensive magic is something I would really like to consider. Now that I have been in a position to use it, I see how beneficial it is and want to do what I can to help." She lightened at this. It wasn't a total lie, I really did want to help fight for something that would help not just Moroi, but Dhampir as well. Working together like Rose and I had would change our way of life, but Lissa needed me right now. She was my priority and I couldn't let this opportunity to help her pass me by.

"Well then," she said as she stood up to leave. "I think I've sufficiently taken up enough of your time. I'll be here for another day or two, so if you change your mind about leaving just let me know. I'm glad you are at least _considering_ what I said though," she replied with a wink. I chuckled at her light teasing. "I'll be sure to stop by again before I leave." It dawned on me that even though I had so few people in my life now, the ones that were there truly cared. Tasha had a comfortable life on the outside and was offering me a way out of this miserable place with an opportunity for a future at court, despite her affliction to it.

"Hey Tasha," I called to her as she opened the door.

"Yeah, Chris."

"Thank you." She seemed to know the excess meaning behind my words and nodded thoughtfully as she closed the door. I felt like a total shit for not telling her what I was about to do but knew she would understand. Her actions had just proved it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I whipped it out to check the message I had received.

Adrian I: You all set for tomorrow? 3 p.m. sharp.

Me: I'll be there.

Adrian I: Don't worry too much and try to get some sleep. I have a good feeling about this.

Me: I'm not worried.

Adrian I: Good. Because with your bookworm brains and my charming good looks, what could possibly go wrong? It's almost not even fair.

Me: Goodnight Adrian.

Adrian I: Hey! Maybe we should come up with cool code names for the road. How about Bennie and the Jet? Or Squadron Supreme!

Me: GOODNIGHT!

I slammed my phone shut and threw it on my nightstand. As I fell back onto the bed with my hands tangled in my hair I wondered: _how in the hell am I going to last the next couple of weeks on the road with sodding Adrian Ivashkov._

 **DPOV**

 **Songs: Bloodhound - The Donkeys**

A ring was starting to form in my worn carpet from my anxious pacing. I had left a message with my family over a day ago, but with the time difference and their busy lives, they had yet to get back to me. I knew Rose's patience was about as slim as a whip so the sooner I was able to get in contact with Mark and Oksana the better. I heard my phone buzz and leapt nearly four feet across the room to snatch it off my desk. I hurriedly opened it expecting to see my mother's name on the screen only to find Guardian Petrov's in her place.

The message read: _My office. Now_.

It was short and to the point, but somehow, I could feel the sense of urgency humming through the device. I grabbed my duster and marched out the door, taking longer than usual strides towards her office. It was still early for Moroi time and the majority of campus was empty except for the occasional Guardian on patrol, but there was an inkling feeling within me that caused me to increase my pace. Chalk it up to Guardian instincts or a nose for trouble; whatever it was, by the time I had reached her office I was at a full sprint.

I could hear worried voices arguing on the other side of the door before my frantic knocks interrupted them.

"Who is it," she asked harshly. Hadn't she been expecting me?

"Belikov," I replied sternly.

"Come in, come in." As I entered I could feel distress and uncertainty radiating off the walls. Guardian Hathaway was positioned in her usual corner, but she wore a completely different look from the last time I had been summoned to Alberta's office. Before, she emanated confidence and discipline, now she looked like a complete wreck drenched in concern. I had seen that look before back when Rose had gone after the others in Spokane. My gut twisted at the sight of it. It was apparent that the repercussions of that day were haunting more than just Rose. There was only one thing that could cause Janine to react this way, and that was her daughter's safety. If that were the case, I couldn't wait any longer to find out.

"What happened," I asked impatiently. I didn't realize how harsh my voice had sounded until I saw the two women flinch at my inquiry. They looked at each other, sharing a silent question before Alberta apprehensively responded.

"Rose has withdrawn from school. She signed the forms over at Admin this morning and left before the other offices had opened."

"What?! How is that possible? Wouldn't she at least need Guardian Hathaway's consent?" I gestured over to Janine, completely dumbfounded.

"No." Janine solemnly replied. "She's 18 today. She doesn't need my approval." My heart sank into the empty pit that used to be my stomach. Before the incident Rose had been so excited to turn 18. Not only was it a life milestone, the official launch into adulthood, but it was also just one less thing that was holding us back from being together.

"There's more. It appears that Novice Castile and Christian Ozera are missing as well," I already knew what Alberta was about to say before she finished. "The Guardian on gate patrol insists that no students have passed through, but his memory was foggy during a ten-minute period between 3:15 and 3:25. We aren't sure wh—"

"Ivashkov," I spat through gritted teeth. Images of my hands gripped around his cocky neck when I found him, flashed in my mind. I thought he would protect her. That he cared about her enough to keep her safe. But this...this was reckless, this was desperate.

Then, just as suddenly as my fiery anger started to roar, calm realization caused it to die down to nothing but ash and stale coal. This was Rose.

I looked up to see Alberta and Janine staring at me with the same look I must have just been wearing. Pure fury. Janine was the first to unleash.

"That lavvy-heided wankstain! How could he take advantage of her when she's in this state?! When I find that fuckin' walloper his pretty mug will look like a dug licking pish aff a nettle." I could almost see steam piping out of her red ears as her Scottish temper boiled over. Alberta stood behind her desk with her fists clenched, pressing down on the tabletop until her knuckles were white. She looked like she was more ready to take on a band of Strigoi rather than a posh Royal Moroi.

"That's not why they left," I interrupted Janine's fuming rant. I was in no way defending Adrian's actions. He should have tried to keep her here until we could get more help; but I also knew how convincing Rose could be and how easily she could make someone desperately want to stand by her with just one self-assured look.

"Then why?!" Janine was practically yelling at this point.

"Rose came to see me yesterday," they both looked confounded by this. "She went outside the wards to try to contact Mason Ashford, but was pulled into the bond instead."

"What do you mean pulled into the bond? The princess is alive?" The color drained from Alberta's face and the earlier signs of anger were now muted by a ghostly white hue.

"No." Further explanation wasn't needed on the matter; the two women were stunned still with the news that Princess Vasilisa had been turned Strigoi. I gave them the rundown of details that Rose had provided me the day before and explained how she had planned to go after Vasilisa but I had convinced her to wait until we had more information...or so I thought.

When Rose was suffering from the darkness and side effects of being shadow-kissed she had initially kept her torments from me, but she had never once lied.

"Why didn't you come forward with this information as soon as it was brought to you," Janine asked.

"Rose was finally opening up, and I didn't want to betray her trust." Although, it seemed that trust only went one way.

Alberta seemed to understand my reasoning and nodded as she finally sat. She wiped her hands over her face, the lines on her forehead and eyes more prominent than usual. The past week had been more than enough stress on her and this was the final tipping point. The seasoned Guardian looked up at me and said, "So what do we do?"

A storm of anger and hurt started to build within me again. I told Rose I would help her, that I just needed a little bit of time. Did she really think that I would just stall, hoping that this notion of hers would eventually fizzle? Had she really lost all faith in me? Even though her training was nearly complete, and she was excelling well beyond Guardian's twice her age, she was in no way ready for this. It was impossible for me to not let my emotions cloud my judgement at this point and there was only one thing I could focus on now.

"I'm going after them."

Alberta clasped her hands together and leaned on her desk, speaking in a calm yet serious tone. "Dimitri, please sit." I obliged, thinking I was about to receive a lecture on responsibilities to my duty and position so I was momentarily dumbstruck by what came out.

"I know you care about Rose, but leaving isn't something you can do right now." She took a pause before continuing. "I have been contacted by the Guardian Council and it seems that the Moroi are insisting on further investigation of the events leading up to the attack on St. Vladimir's. There have been no official accusations or claims made yet, but I have been informed that you will be requested to conduct a formal interview. With the passing of your previous charge and now the princess...they want to make sure there was no foul play at hand."

Even though Alberta had hinted that this was a possible outcome, I felt floored. I put a lot of the blame on myself for what happened to Ivan, but the Council had been adamant about there being nothing more I could have done. I had relentlessly worked to build a solid reputation within the Guardian community and protect the Moroi at all costs. I had sacrificed my body, my life, my _love_ to them, and that still wasn't enough to keep me out of the line of scrutiny. I guess Alberta had been right; eventually, they would go looking for someone to blame.

"When I expressed my utmost disapproval of it," she continued, "they assured me it was just a formality and nothing more. But by you leaving...it would come off very suspicious. It would look like you have something to hide. Not me, nor your reputation, could help you."

If it was just me to think about, there would have been no hesitation in that moment. I would have gone against everything I had been taught and thrown it all out the window right then and there, but the faces of my family crossed my mind and caused me to pause. It wasn't just the portion of my paycheck I sent them that gave me delay. How would they react to hearing my name, my honor dragged through the mud? I pictured my mother's disappointed and hurt face—but realized that what would cause that look would be me essentially choosing my career over the woman I loved. My soulmate. She knew the ways of the Moroi, had grown up on the notion that _They Come First_ just as I had; but we also had been faced with the harsh reality, thanks to my father, that there were times in our lives where we had to choose a path for ourselves. I knew that she would agree with me in this moment that the choice my heart was making was far more important than a career and a reputation, no matter how deprecating. I had already given them my life, and I wouldn't let their selfish wants take my soul as well.

"I understand," I looked into Alberta's eyes and made my choice clear. "I'm going after her."

"You would essentially be condemning yourself, Dimitri." Guardian Hathaway voiced. She narrowed her eyes, looking at me with scrutiny and curiosity.

"It doesn't matter what happens to me. Rose is more important, and I will do everything within my power to make sure she is safe." Janine let out a wry smile at this and replied, "Good."

Alberta sighed in acquiescence and dispensed a sad smile as Janine formulated a plan. "I have a contact that can track them down. Go get your things in order and meet me out front in two hours. He'll know where they are by then." I cocked an eyebrow at her confidence, skeptical that whoever this contact was could find them that quickly. Her mischievous smile formed into a full on grin at this as she said, "Nothing gets passed Ibrahim Mazur."

* * *

 **A/N:** I told myself I would start updating once a week, but I couldn't help myself. Thoughts on the different POVs from some of our favorite leading men? These two are both struggling with their feelings and motivations for their loved ones, but on two completely different levels. I also wanted to throw in some insight on where Tasha would stand in this story. I have a lot of conflicting emotions about her from the originals and stories that some of you talented author's have written.

Was anyone else as amused by the Scottish cursing as I was? I had so much fun looking those up. The rough translation is below if you are curious on her true thoughts about Adrian ;) (precaution: Janine's terms are not for the faint of heart). As previously mentioned, I will be toning it down on the various POVs now that the gang is splitting up and will start honing in on one or two POVs in the near future. Thanks to those of you still reading and I am so excited to share the upcoming chapters!

Scottish Translation:

Lavvy-heided wankstain - toilet headed cumsplat

Fuckin walloper – fucking dick

A dug licking pish aff a nettle - a particularly ugly or miserable looking person


	9. Chapter 9

**Ch. 9**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Stylo - Gorillaz, Two of us on the run - Lucius, If I had a Heart - Fever Ray**

The pitter-patter of rain on the windshield had a calming effect on my nerves. I watched as the drops splashed onto the glass momentarily blurring the world in front of us, just before they were swiped away leaving a clear view of the road ahead. The same process repeated over and over as the time passed. The storm didn't let up for at least the first few hours on the road. It was almost as if it was an omen to our departure from St. Vlad's and the murky journey ahead of us.

I ran my fingers along the cinnamon colored seat as the smell of new leather warmed my senses. Eddie had insisted on driving, of course. I had been on the run with Lissa when novices had participated in driving lessons, and it appeared that I would never live it down.

Adrian had proved that with insurmountable amounts of money, anything was possible. I used my abrupt withdrawal as a brief distraction, putting more attention on me as I walked out the front gate rather than Adrian, Eddie, and Christian at the other end of campus. When I met up with them after I finished the necessary paperwork, Adrian had two Dodge Challengers waiting for us. I immediately went for the red but was denied since the guys had apparently already rock paper scissor'd for them and Eddie and I would be taking the black. My disappointment only grew as I was forced into the passenger seat while Eddie took pleasure in roaring up the engine of our hot new ride.

I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he accelerated, his grip on the steering wheel tightening causing a small smile to creep up his face. If I had to guess, he was picturing himself as Vin Diesel in some cheesy racing movie. The sight of Eddie so carefree and relaxed reminded me of a younger, more naive version of him. I thought of him wearing a lazy smile with Mason's arm draped over him as the three of us walked to class, teasing each other over who would be the first to hit the mat in our next sparring matches.

After seeing the monsters we were up against in Spokane and losing Mason, Eddie's demeanor had drastically changed. He was more focused and took our training even more seriously. I was proud of him for understanding the severity of our work outside the academy and for taking action to make himself the best Guardian he could be. However, it still saddened me that his innocence was ripped away in that manner and that there was a possibility his happy-go-lucky attitude had died in that room with Mason.

His face behind the wheel of that car gave me some hope that despite all the death and misery we had seen recently, Eddie was still young at heart. His mood was contagious, and I let out a slight smirk mirroring his.

It was short-lived, though as my thoughts wandered to the last time I fled St. Vlad's. Lissa was with me then, and I was doing everything in my power to keep her safe from those who sought to drive her insane and use her magic for selfish wants. Now I was leaving to hunt her down and possibly kill her if needed—the irony of our situation hadn't escaped me.

I turned my attention to the map as he drove, mentally noting each exit we passed, and kept a sharp lookout for any possible tails. We headed south towards Salt Lake City where we would catch a flight to our next destination. There was an airport in Missoula that could have taken us where we needed to go, but we wanted to avoid the detection of any Guardians that might be tracking us. Adrian and Christian headed in the opposite direction towards Seattle to seek out their first lead.

It seemed Eddie's mood had turned pensive as well and he looked deep in thought, his eyes slightly squinched and fixated on the road ahead. I wondered if he was considering the full consequences of what we were doing. Lissa was my motivation for completing my training. I had been working extra hours each day with Dimitri to make sure I was fully prepared to protect her from our enemy. But now, the reasons for it all were lost in my new goal of removing her from this evil state she was trapped in. Eddie still had a career ahead of him to work towards, and this escapade would leave a deprecating mark on his record making it extremely hard for him to land a decent charge—that's if we even made it out of this alive.

"It's not too late Eddie," I finally broke our silence.

"Huh? What was that?" He blinked a few times, pulling his thoughts back into our car.

"I know how much you are giving up and I want you to know it's not too late to change your mind. Once we get to the airport you can drop me off and go back to the Academy. If you tell them I asked you for a ride out of town and you wanted to see me off, you might get away with just a slap on the wrists for breaking out for the day."

"Rose, I said it back at the church and I meant it. I'll do whatever it takes to help you." The serious look on his face made him look years older. "It might not make much sense, and I know it was just a training exercise, but she was my responsibility and I can't sit back and do nothing." The funny thing was, I knew exactly what he meant. I had felt the same way about Christian when the fight at St. Vlad's broke out.

"Plus," he continued. "I...I know what it's like to lose your best friend. Mason and I may not have had a bond like you and Lissa, but I still miss him every day. If there was even the smallest chance to save him, I would take it, no hesitations." Eddie's face turned somber for a moment as he thought about our lost friend.

Then, in an attempt to lighten the dismal mood of the car he said, "And there's no way in hell I'm letting you go to that frozen tundra by yourself." I let out a small smile remembering all the times I had teased Dimitri about Russia being one giant ice cube.

"By the way, what made you decide to start there? Russia doesn't seem like the first place Lissa would go."

I thought back to images from the bond: the detailed filigree designs that bordered the edges of the floor, the antique gold painted table, and the cream carpet luxuriously spread throughout the room. When I had finally managed to calm down, it was easy for me to put the pieces together. Lissa's family had a fair share of European homes before they passed away, and would often spend the holidays traveling to each. I recognized the details of that vision as their home in Novosibirsk, where Lissa had spent Christmas with her family the year before the accident.

"Lissa purposely showed me where she was. It took me a minute to figure out where, but I know she's in Novosibirsk now, or at least she was when she spoke to me. Either way, it's our best place to start."

"Why would she willingly tell you where she was? Doesn't she know you would try to come after her?"

"That's just it...she _wants_ me to come after her." Eddie looked bothered by this. I had basically just admitted that we were possibly walking into the lion's den with the predatory cat fully aware of it. "I'm not exactly sure where the house is, but I'm hoping we can grab more intel once we are in the city."

Eddie nodded and returned his focus to the road. I knew busting down the door of her hideout would be a stupid idea. There was no telling who she was with or how many Strigoi were hiding out there. I sat back in my seat trying to think what Dimitri would say in this situation. _You have to examine all of your obstacles. Realize your enemy's motives and look at the outcome of each situation to determine the best scenario._

Even in my mind, his soothing zen voice gave me enough clarity to formulate a plan. I couldn't go in guns a blazing like I traditionally would. I had to be smart about this if we were going to catch Lissa alone.

Since we left the safety of the wards, I had been working extra hard to not only keep the ghosts out but to try and prevent Lissa from getting in as well. I didn't know if my success was credited to my efforts, or if she was just leaving me alone for the time being, but I was glad to be spared from the bond for now and would only use it as a last resort. It appeared in our last encounter that she knew when I had arrived in her mind and I didn't want to tip her off to what we were planning.

The hours in the car droned on until we finally arrived in Salt Lake City. The airport was like nothing I had ever seen before. Granted I had only been to a few strips, mostly small, private ones protected by our community, but I didn't imagine there were many like this one. The airport was surrounded by a range of mountains with snow-tipped peaks and lower passes wearing a thin cloak of greenery. The planes that flew in seemed to appear from nowhere as they breached the bundles of gray clouds hovering near the white mountain caps. I sat at a window watching them fly in and out, imagining the places they were going as I scarfed down my airport food.

Apparently, money didn't just buy you a ride in a sexy sports car and plane tickets to faraway lands, but it could also get you rushed passports with fake identities on them. Eddie and I had easily passed as a 20-year-old named Victoria Grand and a 22-year-old named Chuck Bearns headed to Russia for a spring break Eurotrip. Although Eddie's face still held some adolescent features, his height combined with a strong physique from years of intensive training helped him pass for slightly older. As for me, my vivacious curves had given others the impression that I was years older for quite some time now. I was able to pass as a college student back when Lissa and I were on the run and felt confident that the attendants wouldn't think twice.

Eddie and I practiced our new names with each other on the way in, so when they called out for us to board there was no hesitation. I longingly looked at the first-class seats as we passed by, but we had agreed it would be better to keep a low profile and opted for coach. Luckily there was no one sitting next to us, so Eddie and I could stretch out a bit. We decided to take turns sleeping, unable to let go of our guarding training habits. The flight seemed to drag on forever and I was starting to feel like a sardine before we finally landed. When the wheels touched the ground, I put in a little more effort towards my barriers, remembering the excruciating flight on the way back from Victor's trial.

Our bodies were stiff, and we could both use a shower, so we immediately went to the hotel that Adrian had booked for us. I started to wonder if he had a stream of personal assistants managing all the details and keeping all of his secrets. The hotel was in the center of the city, close to a lot of the action. It was modest and looked like any ordinary hotel in America from the outside, but the lobby and rooms made you aware that you were in another place. The ceilings were literal works of art. Some had elegant patterns molded into them with huge chandeliers hanging down, others were classic paintings or extravagant stained glass, and each room seemed to be separated by giant, granite pillars.

As I admired the architecture I naturally thought of Dimitri. He had always talked about how beautiful his home country was. I used to take pleasure in watching his eyes light up as he reminisced, and I couldn't help but think of how happy he would be showing me this place and pointing out every charming detail.

But that was another life. One I didn't have the luxury of having. I needed to focus on our task ahead without distractions. I had let those types of thoughts cloud my judgement before and it had caused irreparable damage. From now on, Lissa came first. _Lissa Comes First_.

We finally reached our room and as soon as I spotted one of the double beds I plopped down not even bothering to unpack.

"You look racked Hathaway. You go ahead and get some shut-eye, I'm gonna grab a quick shower," Eddie threw his duffel on the bed and started to pull out some clothes. I gave him a lethargic yawn in response and laid my head back. Hopefully, a good night's rest would help me get my mind right. I heard him carefully close the door to the bathroom and let the light sounds of running water lull me into sleep.

...,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,...

A sharp pain in the front of my skull woke me from my dreamless sleep. I sat up, pressing my palm to my forehead trying not to scream. Dark shadows swarmed the edges of my vision as I tried to block them out. Their hollow faces looked like they were screaming, skeletal hands reached towards me trying to pull me closer. My heart was racing, and I could feel myself start to panic, I felt like the darkness of the room would swallow me whole.

Then, suddenly they disappeared.

"Rose. Rose, are you okay?" I guess my brief Emily Rose haunting moment had woken Eddie too. He flipped on the bedside lamp and was looking at me for a response. I peered around the room surprised that the spirits had all fled so abruptly, but wasn't about to complain.

"Yeah. I'm fine. It was just—" No, not all. Over Eddie's shoulder, I spotted it. One ghostly figure still remained. "Mason."

Eddie whipped around to face the direction I was staring in. "He...he's here?" His voice was shaking and childlike. I realized Eddie had heard about my visions of Mason, but we had never explicitly discussed them.

"Yes. He's over there," I pointed to the east corner of the room near the shade drawn windows.

"Wha...What's he doing? What does he want?" Eddie took a step towards the corner.

"I'm not sure." I looked closer at Mason. His figure was more transparent than usual, and his face wasn't polluted by the sad and horrified look I had grown used to seeing. He almost seemed...at peace. "I think he might be here to say goodbye." Eddie turned his head slightly towards me, still keeping his gaze fixed in the direction of Mason's spirit.

"Could you tell him," he gulped. "Tell him I miss him. And that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't do more." Mason's head made a blurred movement towards Eddie before returning his full attention back to me. I could see a small glimmer in his eyes letting me know he had heard.

"He understands," I told Eddie. He reached his hand out towards Mason, his fingers feeling through the air in an attempt to touch his lingering presence. There were so many things I wanted to say to him; to both of them in that moment. But I couldn't find the words. I could only mouth _I'm sorry_ as tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill. My whole life I had been trained to protect those that I loved, and I had fatally failed two of the most important people to me. As if he could read my thoughts through my expression, a sad smile started to form on Mason's face. His figure was fading by the second. This time, more deliberately he looked towards Eddie, back towards me, and nodded. I nodded back to him and translated what I saw to Eddie, "He wants us to watch out for each other. Keep each other safe."

"I will," Eddie promised. "I won't let you down Mase." He spoke confidently, without an ounce of doubt in his voice. At those last words, Mason's figure dissipated in front of me, leaving an empty, lonely feeling behind.

Eddie seemed to sense he was gone as well and plopped down on the edge of his bed running a hand through his hair. His gaze was fixed on the floor with his bare back to me and I reached out to place my hand on his shoulder. As I lifted my arm, a familiar icy chill surged through me and I gripped the bedspread to ground myself. Eddie whipped around as a frightened gasp escaped my lips, his eyes wide and alert.

"What's wrong? Is he back?" There was a speck of hopefulness in his voice that put pressure on my chest.

"No," I replied shakily. The unpleasant coldness started to grow and my efforts to block it out were weakening. "It's her...it's Lissa."

* * *

 **A/N:** If any of you are curious about the hotel I used for inspiration check out photos of The Metropol Hotel in Moscow. It's gorgeous. Any thoughts on Mason's farewell? This story has really made me want to dig deeper into Eddie as a character and now that he and Rose are on a mission, you'll be seeing a lot more of him.

On a side note, I recently saw the Gorillaz live and was floored! I had the sudden urge to put one of their songs in every chapter but settled for just one 😉. Picturing Eddie flooring it to Stylo gets me pumped for the road ahead!


	10. Chapter 10

**Ch. 10**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Paradise Circus - Massive Attack, The Sky is a Neighborhood - Foo Fighters**

I felt paralyzed. I was an emotional wreck after just seeing Mason and had momentarily let my guard down. I was trying to block out her thoughts, but they were winning out. Eddie's form in front of me started to blur and the room shifted from red and gold patterned duvets to black cherry leather lounge chairs, crisp white linens, and dainty tea candles.

The scene was a perfect combination of old and new; modern Renaissance. Lissa was impatiently strumming her blood red nails on a white tablecloth. I could sense that she was waiting for someone. There was only an hour or so left before daylight and the bar was mostly empty, except for a few workers and another Strigoi standing behind her who was built like a lumberjack. By the look of his physique and attention to the details of the room, he was most likely a Guardian in his former life. Eventually, an anxious Moroi man shuffled his way over from the bar and sat at the table in front of her. His smell was overwhelmingly intoxicating. Lissa brought a finger to her mouth as she tilted her chin and eyed his neck. I unconsciously licked my lips.

The Moroi nervously adjusted the collar of his pastel pink button-up shirt and sank further back into his seat. His uneasiness didn't seem to bother Lissa in the least and she flashed him a fanged smile. "So," she started. "Am I to assume you have accepted my offer? Unless there is some other reason you thought important enough to risk bringing me here?" Her words hissed off her tongue like an enchanting serpent. She picked up a black book of matches with the word _Zavlekat'_ printed in gold on top and absentmindedly flipped it between her fingers.

"Da," He looked directly at her as he spoke, and I could see the reflection of her scarlet eyes in his. His black hair was slicked back, and his thick beard was neatly trimmed. I didn't recognize him, but there was an air about him that hinted he was royal. A glimmer from his right hand caught my attention and I noticed he was wearing a gold ring with a strange emblem on it. Lissa's eyes flitted from his throat to his face. "I have spoken to my organization here in Novosibirsk and we have agreed to accept your...insurance policy." His accent was thick, the foreign, English words rolling heavy off his tongue.

Lissa clasped her hands together under her chin and beamed at his response. "I'm so very pleased to hear that Grigory. You and your _associates_ will be welcome additions to the coalition." She flicked her pale hair behind her shoulder and stood to leave. She walked towards Grigory's side of the table, dragging her crimson claws on the linen cloth, and slowly leaned into him so that her lips were close enough to his ear to brush a soft kiss against it. I could almost feel his pulse racing and anticipated the possibility of her tasting his blood. "I hope we will be seeing each other _very_ soon." Her hollow laugh echoed in the close space between them as she lifted her hand and ran a fingernail down his neck.

She flashed Grigory a quick wink and turned with unnatural speed, waving towards the tall brut standing behind her. "Come now Nikolay. Let's go."

Just like that, I was pulled back into my own body feeling lingering aftereffects of want and frustration. My mouth felt dry and my skin was crawling.

"Rose! What the hell happened?" Eddie's panicked voice snapped me back to reality and I shook my head to normalize myself.

"She was in a bar. There were matches, ugh what did they say," I pressed the palm of my hand to my forehead. "It was something like sauerkraut, but more Russian. Zavalask? Zavlekat'! There were Moroi there too." He eyed me skeptically. "She spoke to a man. Grigory. We have a lead Eddie!" I was confused why he wasn't as enthused as I was.

"That's good Rose. Really good actually. But what I meant was what happened with you?" There was a look of concern on his face. I wasn't sure what he was getting at. He knew about the bond before Lissa was taken, and I had explained everything else in the church library. "You had this look on your face. I've seen it before. It was like," he struggled for the right words. "It was like you were ravenous, and at the same time ready to kill something. Like Isaiah." Eddie absentmindedly touched the place on his throat that the Strigoi had fed from for days.

I gulped and looked down at my bed, suddenly feeling ashamed and extremely dirty. "I...I need to shower." I jumped up from the bed and went straight to the bathroom, avoiding Eddie's scrutinizing gaze. I cranked the shower to high heat and stripped down, plunging in before it had time to warm up. I stood under the freezing water letting it cascade down me and roughly scrubbed my limbs while the water slowly heated. Steam filled the room as I let the water scorch my skin, hoping to wash away the feelings the bond had forced upon me. I felt her desire to feed on that Moroi man, and for a moment that insatiable yearning threatened to consume me. I wanted her to indulge. For her to sink her teeth into him and devour his blood.

I felt faint for a moment and threw my forearm against the wall to steady myself. I turned down the heat and inhaled a few deep breaths. I could hear Dimitri's voice calming me: _Just breathe Roza. Just breathe._

"You can do this," I spoke out loud to myself. Lissa Comes First. Lissa Comes First. When my head finally stopped spinning and my breathing calmed, I turned off the shower and grabbed a towel to dry off.

When I exited the bathroom, Eddie was sitting at the hotel computer, typing away. "I talked to Ivashkov and turns out Zavlekat' is a Moroi bar not too far from here. I'm just looking up photos of the perimeter now," he called over his shoulder. I could tell he was still a little concerned, but he knew when to give me my space.

"It's almost daylight now so we'll have to wait until dark to head out. You should try to get a couple more hours of sleep before we figure out our plan of action." I started to argue with him but knew he was right. If we were going to possibly be fighting Strigoi tonight, I needed to be in top form.

"Okay," I replied. "But just a couple of hours. Wake me up before 7." He nodded, still working at the computer and I went to my duffel to grab a change of clothes before retiring to my bed.

I expected to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep as soon as I laid my head down, I was mentally drained from the recent hauntings from my two best friends. However, when I closed my eyes the room started to shift again. My heart raced for a moment, thinking I was being pulled back into Lissa but when I noticed it was daylight out, I knew she couldn't be responsible for the interruption. The warm rays soaked into my skin and I could hear soft waves breaking nearby.

"Hey there Little Dhampir. Miss me yet?" Adrian stood, casually leaning against a palm tree nearby with a cocky smirk on his face. I walked over towards him slightly annoyed.

"Let me guess, Eddie called you in to check on me?" I crossed my arms over my chest feeling skin on skin contact and noticing for the first time what I was wearing I admonished him, "A bathing suit? Really Adrian? I'm in Siberia for crying out loud." It was the same bikini top I wore at the ski lodge party he had invited me to at court, but with a pair of shorts on bottom.

"I wouldn't say 'check on' exactly, just somewhat concerned. And technically you are on the beach, not in a brittle wasteland." He smiled, gesturing from the white sugar sand to the clear blue sky. I looked around for a minute, admiring the scene he had created for us.

Remembering my earlier frustrations, I tugged on the ends of my loose hair and rolled my eyes. "I don't need a babysitter you know?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Adrian replied with a feigned hurt tone. "As kinky as it sounds," he added with a wink. I couldn't help but let out a small smile at his playfulness. With all of his faults, he was pretty good at finding ways to lighten the mood.

"So, I hear you had a visit from our dear friend Lissa. Care to talk about it?" His face turned slightly more serious, but he still held onto his light tone. I briefed him on the conversation I had witnessed in the bar through the bond but left out the disturbing feelings it had aroused within me. We walked along the shoreline as I spoke, the feeling of sand between my toes helped settle my swirling emotions. When I finished, Adrian appeared to be deep in thought.

"I can't believe a Moroi would actually agree to meet with her knowing she is Strigoi. It would be different if she had given him false pretences, but he seemed well aware of what she was beforehand. And the whole 'insurance policy' thing, what's that about?"

"I'm not sure Rose, I'm as lost as you on that one. Was there anything else about him that stood out? Maybe I can ask around and find out a little about who it is we are dealing with," I tried to think back and focus on every little detail of the Moroi. He had seemed very well dressed and well kempt, his cufflinks alone looked like they cost more than our car, indicating he was wealthy and most-likely royal. There was nothing distinctive about his look other than, "His ring. He had a gold ring with a weird symbol on it. It was like a sun, but the rays were jagged like lightning bolts."

Adrian's eyes seemed to light up at this. "What? Do you know that symbol," I asked.

"I just might. But I'll have to double check something first. I'll hopefully have more answers tomorrow. Until then, I've sent over a few... _necessities_ to help with your journey to Zavlekat'." There was a mischievous tone in that last statement that made me skeptical of these so-called necessities.

"What do you mean Adrian?" I made no attempt to hide my skepticism in my voice.

"Don't worry Little Dhampir. Just a few things to help you fit in. After all, Zavlekat' does mean 'allure'. I only wish I could be there to see it." He was wearing a full-on grin at this point.

"Adrian, what the hell are you—" The beach around me started to shudder and I could feel myself being pulled away. I opened my eyes to find myself in the sunlit hotel room with Eddie again.

"Rise and shine Hathaway!" Man, I hated cheerful people in the morning. I groaned at him in response.

"Don't worry, I come bearing gifts." He pushed a tray of assorted breakfast food towards me, the smell caused a resounding growl from my stomach. I hadn't realized how famished I was and immediately dug into the food. "When you're done, there's something over there from Ivashkov. Just arrived."

After practically licking my plate clean I headed over to the open closet Eddie had pointed to with a face still full of food. There was a vinyl garment bag and a black box tied with a red ribbon beside it. I noticed an open box similar to mine on the floor. Assuming it had been Eddie's I asked, "Wah ith it?"

"English, Rose."

I gulped down my food and wiped my face with the back of my hand. "What is it," I repeated, my eyes fixed on the mysterious gifts.

"Supplies for tonight," Eddie said as he walked over to the desk. I slowly unzipped the garment bag and pulled it open to reveal something completely unexpected: a gorgeous deep green velvet dress. Touching the material, I was surprised to find it was much lighter than I initially thought. It was sleeveless with a modest scoop neckline, but when I turned it around to get a look at the back it was completely missing. "Really Adrian," I muttered to myself. Around the hanger was a long diamond chain necklace that glimmered in the early morning light. It looked expensive, extremely expensive.

Turning away from the 'evening gown barbie' scene in front of me, I turned my attention to the lone, black box. I lifted it off the shelf, noticing how deceivingly heavy it was, and carefully pulled the red ribbon off. The inside was covered with dark plush lining, a freshly polished silver stake resting on top. I ran the tips of my fingers along it, admiring its craftsmanship. Beside it was a black holster used to strap my new weapon around my thigh. I grinned at the beautiful sight before me...this was going to be a good night.

* * *

 **A/N:** Lissa's back! What do y'all think of her so far? There will be more of her fabulous, creepy self coming soon.

I cannot express how excited I am about the next chapter! It is probably my favorite chapter in this story so far and is jam-packed with all sorts of goodies for you guys. Our Dhampir duo is about to go on one hell of a ride ;)

Thanks a mil to everyone reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**CH 11**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Toxic - Yael Naim, #1 Crush – Garbage, Black Ajax – Locksley, The Curse - Agnes Obel**

It was a strange feeling walking into a place I had never been before but still recognizing it instantly. There were a lot more people filing into the bar but other than that, it was exactly the same as my vision: classically elegant. Although I was hesitant at first, seeing how the club patrons were dressed I was glad to have the wardrobe update from Adrian.

The neckline in the front of my dress was modest but the back, or should I say lack thereof, was another story. It scooped all the way down to the dip of my spine just above my tailbone. There was a slit in the emerald fabric that went up to the top of my right thigh, stopping a few inches below my hips. The edges clung to my waist, showing off my curves, but it hung loosely around my legs so I could easily conceal my weapon. The diamond necklace that had been sent perfectly mirrored my dress. It sat high on my throat but had a long chain that fell almost all the way down my back, accentuating the open cut of the dress. I left my hair down but swept it to one side to show off the glittering jewelry. Needless to say, I looked _hot_.

Before we left the hotel, Eddie was kind enough to inform me that I looked like 'Vampire bait'. I initially rolled my eyes and laughed off his shameless comment but seeing some of the faces on the Moroi men as I walked in got me thinking that maybe he had a point. All the better to lure in unsuspecting victims, I thought.

Although feeding was a necessity for the Moroi's survival, willingly allowing them to feed from a Dhampir was considered taboo, dirty even. Female Dhampirs that participated in this sort of behavior had coined the term Blood Whore. There were even communes where these Blood Whores would live together and raise their Dhampir children. Dimitri had once told me he grew up in one of these communes. He insisted it wasn't anything like the stereotypes had depicted them as, but walking into this place I wasn't so sure. Behind the facade of glitz and glam, it was apparent Zavlekat' attracted scandalous behavior, and not just from women. I had only met one male Blood Whore before at court, but here I could see a few Dhampir men dressed to the nines with rich Moroi hanging off them. I would have preferred to come in with my normal attire, ready to derail unwanted attention, but Adrian was right that we needed to fit in or the chance of us getting any information was highly unlikely.

We decided to go our separate ways once inside to cover more ground. From across the room, I saw a group of Moroi women checking out Eddie at the bar. I had to admit, he was wearing the fitted suit that Adrian had sent over pretty damn well. He, of course, disagreed and couldn't wait to get out of the 'stupid monkey suit'. I flashed him a wink from across the bar and he discretely sneered in response.

After an hour or so of wandering around and dismissing an embarrassing amount of advances, I was starting to get impatient. It would have been better to meet Grigory organically, avoiding any suspicion right off the bat, but my anxiety was winning out. I nodded towards Eddie, signaling that I would be moving to phase 2: question the bartender. I strode over to a handsome Dhampir guy behind the bar, swaying my hips unnecessarily, and flashed him my best Rose Hathaway come-hither smile. He gave me a polite smile in response and said, "What can I get ya doll?"

His English accent surprised me. I had ignorantly assumed everyone here was Russian and was slightly thrown off. "Oh, uh I'm okay for now," I stumbled out. "I'm actually looking for someone."

"Oh really? It looks like you could have any 'someone' that you choose right now," he smirked, gesturing towards the expanse of the room. "Well they're not exactly my type," I said batting my eyes. He huffed and dropped his focus to the glasses he had been polishing, seemingly unfazed by my blatant flirting. This guy might be harder to crack than I thought. I felt a hand on my arm and turned to see Eddie approaching the bar beside me.

"Well hey there," the bartender's eyes lit up and a huge grin formed on his face. "Who's your mate?"

Ah ha. It seemed I had been barking up the wrong tree. "Oh, this is my _friend_ Chuck," I said with a mischievous smile. The bartender seemed pleased with my response and made his way to stand in front of Eddie. "So, Chuck. You don't look like you're from these parts," the bartender started.

"And you don't sound like you are," Eddie responded sarcastically. The bartender threw his head back and laughed.

"No, I guess not. I'm Arthur. Arthur from Leads to be exact," he reached out his hand. "Chuck. Chuck from the States," Eddie accepted his hand and shook it.

"What brings you two around here?"

"Well, we were actually supposed to meet someone but haven't seen him yet. Grigory. Do you know him?" Arthur's face fell a little, but he still seemed pleased to be conversing with Eddie.

"Yeah, I know him. Kind of an arse if you ask me. How'd you get mixed up with that bloke?"

"That's not important," I interjected. "Is he here? We need to see him."

"Nope. Not here. Doubt he'll come in tonight," Arthur said as he started polishing glasses again.

"Do you know when he'll be back," Eddie asked as he leaned closer to the bar with a lazy smile plastered on his face. "You'd be doing us a _huge_ favor Arthur." I was shocked how well he was doing at this. Who knew Eddie Castile could flirt?

"Hm, you're cute," Arthur chuckled. "Look all I know is he comes in here sometimes with a group of tossers to host meetings in the back room," he nodded behind the bar. "They're not here tonight, but if you stick around I'll buy you and your pretty friend here a drink." He leaned towards the bar and winked at Eddie.

"Well, that's a very generous offer but unfortunately we'll have to decline. Maybe next time though," Eddie responded politely. He stood up and started to turn away, but I had one more question for our lovesick bartender.

"Wait. Arthur, the group you mentioned. Is there anything different about them? Anything that stands out to you?"

He looked up at the ceiling pensively and thought about it before responding. "Other than being total douchebags, not really." My shoulders slightly deflated in defeat. "Well that, and those horrendous matching rings they wear. I mean I'm all for a nice piece of jewelry on a man, but those tacky gold things are soooo 1985."

My mood immediately perked up. I tried to hide my excitement and casually smiled and waved my fingertips goodbye to Arthur. "Thanks for the help."

"Sure thing. I'll be seeing you around Chuck," he hollered as we walked away.

Once we were out of the bar I smacked Eddie on the back. "Way to go Castile! I didn't know you had that in you?"

He gave me that lazy smile of his and joked, "You think that's the first guy to ever hit on me? Ha! Rose, you're so naive." I couldn't help but giggle.

Suddenly, without my usual bone-chilling warning, I was pulled into Lissa's head. She was on a dimly lit street walking up to an industrial looking club. It had a giant neon red geometric star and the word 'Guevara' at the front entrance. I could feel hunger coursing through every part of her body; she was practically snarling as she got a whiff of patrons walking in and out. There was only one thought going through her mind, and that was who was she going to eat tonight.

I heard a cracking noise and felt a sharp pain flash across my face. My hands came up to my cheek and I looked around to see I was back in my own body. "What the hell?!" I looked at Eddie for an explanation, realizing he had slapped the shit out of me.

"Sorry. You had that creepy look again," he responded meekly.

"I know where she is," I voiced, no longer caring about the slap. "She was walking up to another club called Guevara, and she was hungry," I gulped.

"Come on," Eddie said, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me towards the parking lot. We'll look up directions on the way.

Luckily, we brought a spare change of clothes just in case things got messy, and once we got to the car we quickly put on more battle friendly attire and looked up the fastest route to the club. Eddie deftly sped down the streets of Novosibirsk pulling up to the club in just under 15 minutes from when I had seen her. I didn't get a chance to see if she was alone, so Eddie and I decided we would need to stick together. We already had a plan in place from Zavlekat' but now that the venue had changed our plans were thrown off.

We knew it was risky going into this blind, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity to save innocent lives and possibly capture my undead best friend. When we walked into Guevara it was a complete contrast to the last bar. Where Zavlekat' had been classy and dreamlike, Guevara was grungy and erotic. The industrial theme from outside continued into the expansive room. The only light inside streamed from flashing red strobes in all directions, giving the illusion of excess shadows and blurred figures. The club seemed to be one huge sunken in dance floor with a mass of sweaty bodies grinding to an eerie beat. Above us were giant iron bird cages with half-naked girls and guys rhythmically swaying. The music was so loud I could barely hear myself think, little less the person beside me. The bass rhythmically pulsed through my ears and chest the closer we got to the dance floor. I looked to Eddie and nodded, questioning if he was ready. He returned it with a serious look and jutted his chin towards the crowd.

As we passed through, several people had their eyes closed reveling in the euphoric mood they were entranced in. Others were staring deeply at one another as if they were ready to pounce. I looked to my left and saw a girl, her red curls dripping in sweat, with two guys moving their hands up and down her body as she rolled her head back.

It was easy to tell why a Strigoi would choose this place. If it weren't for the lack of the scent of blood filling the air, I would assume almost everyone here was either feeding or being fed from. I tried to focus my vision and looked around for Lissa's pale hair. In the mass of red and black, I hoped it would stand out.

Turns out I was right. About 20 feet away I spotted it. I rushed towards her feeling Eddie close behind me and grabbed her shoulder with my right hand, my left ghosting over my stake. I whipped her around to face me, only to find a stranger's face in front of me. Her eyes were unfocused, and she had a strung-out smile plastered on her clammy face. I cursed to myself and turned away from her.

I heard a muffled shout through the noise of the club, "Rose!" I looked over to my left to see Eddie taking off towards a back exit where a door was still slightly swinging open. We shoved through the crowd, no one seemed to mind, and flung open the back door. As soon as we stepped into the damp alleyway my stomach started turning and I could hear light whimpering. There was definitely a Strigoi here.

Eddie must have heard the same thing I had and moved to a large trash bin across the alley, flinging it out of the way with incredible strength. Behind it was a shorter male Strigoi feeding on a young blonde human. Eddie immediately went on the offense and with a few quick maneuvers the Strigoi was staked. I looked around harboring a feeling that something was off; without the intention of demeaning Eddie's skills, I knew he was one of the best in our class, but I couldn't help but think that just seemed way too easy.

Eddie knelt down beside the girl, gently placing his hand on the side of her face to hold her head up. "Are you alright," he asked. She looked him in the face and started laughing maniacally. He looked at me confused.

My body immediately registered what was off and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. "Eddie, there are more coming," I croaked, trying to push down the rising panic in my gut.

He leapt up from his crouched position and took a defensive stance beside me. Before we could register what was going on we were completely surrounded. There were 5 Strigoi circling us with two on the outer perimeter, and there was no telling if more were waiting in the wings. The odds were definitely not in our favor.

"Mmmm this one smells delectable," one of the carnivorous creatures cackled.

"Shut up Yegor. You know she wants the Dhampir bitch alive," a female voice argued.

Yegor, huh? He'd be my first target. Their sinister faces stirred something carnal inside me. I clenched my hand around my silver stake, ready to take on the lot of them. If I was going to die, I would go out fighting and taking as many of these demons as I could with me. I prepared myself to launch at the offending beasts; the best defense was a good offense, right?

Then, just as I was about to pounce, a shrieking gasp came from one of the Strigoi on the outside of the circle. Almost unanimously, we all whipped our gaze towards the noise to see the tip of a silver stake sticking out of his chest from behind, blood oozing down his white shirt as he convulsed in pain. The stake retracted with a gurgling snap. The Strigoi went stiff and fell to his knees, revealing none other than Dimitri Belikov.

As if summoned by Ares himself, the Russian warrior immediately rushed into battle. He had a wild look in his eyes as he channeled his godlike skills, dispensing another assailing Strigoi. I was mesmerized by his deadly grace, each of his movements were powerful and fluid as he stormed through the alley.

I snapped out of my daze, quickly realizing the opportunity he had created for us. Eddie and I used the momentary distraction to our advantage and charged at the two adversaries standing directly in front of us. I lunged at Yegor, taking dark pleasure in the surprised look on his face. He ably blocked my first few attacks, but he underestimated my speed as I feinted left and reached around from the right to surge my stake through his chest. I let out an angry battle cry as I made contact with his dead heart and watched the horror in his eyes fade out.

As he laid there I pictured first Isaiah, then Nathan. Two monsters who had stolen my best friends from me. They had turned what was most dear to me into ash. The memory of their faces fueled my desire to end the others in the alley. I glowered behind me to see Eddie successfully take down the female Strigoi before launching at another and shot my eyes to Dimitri who was fending off the other two alone. I sprang into action and kicked the back of one of the Strigoi's knees, causing him to stumble and turn towards me. I sliced my stake down his face, a burning red streak following in its path. He screamed in agony, bringing his hands up towards the bubbling flesh. Dimitri and I moved to stand back to back, falling into a synchronous rhythm. I heard him make his move towards the other Strigoi and I followed suit, throwing another kick towards mine. My foot made contact with his chest, slamming him into the cement wall and before he could recover I charged forward and pinned my forearm against his throat. Dimitri and I simultaneously staked our opponents and that eerie satisfaction trickled through me as they jointly fell limp to the ground.

I somehow pulled myself from the overpowering feeling of bloodlust and snapped my attention to Eddie as he raised his stake above the last pinned Strigoi. "No, Eddie wait! WE NEED HIM!" My pleas echoed down the alleyway. I could tell it took an insurmountable amount of willpower for him to stop his kill mid-strike. I could see the same wrath in his eyes that I had just been possessed by as the tip of his stake halted less than an inch from the Strigoi's chest.

Dimitri immediately ran over to help Eddie slam the beast to the ground, pressing the edge of his stake against its neck. The male Strigoi was slender and clumsy, most likely a Moroi in his former life judging by his lack of escape maneuvers.

"Where is she," I growled at him as Dimitri pressed his stake gradually into the beast's neck. The Strigoi screeched in pain at first, but as soon as Dimitri found a reasonable depth for his stake and halted his movement the pale bastard let out a curdled laugh.

"You don't need me to find her Dhampir," he stared at me knowingly with his crimson eyes. "She is everywhere. She's there behind you, in the darkness," I whipped my head around but there was nothing there. "Can't you feel her on the back of your neck. A breath in the air. A finger reaching out to you," Dimitri twisted the stake in his neck and the Strigoi let out another cry.

"Where is Vasilisa," Dimitri demanded. The threatening malice in his voice threw me off for a moment and caused my pulse to race.

"She has awakened me. Awakened us all," he turned to Eddie this time as he spoke. "We are eternally grateful and will forever serve her." His last statement perplexed me. Serve? Grateful? Loyalty and devotion were not things I would associate with a Strigoi.

"Rose, look," Eddie nodded towards the Strigoi's hand and I saw a flash of gold around his small finger. I opened my mouth to ask about it, but without warning, the Strigoi slipped out from under our hold and wrapped his hands around Eddie's wrists, plunging the stake into his own heart.

"No," I cried out as the Strigoi went limp, an ominous smile on his face. "FUCK!" I screamed, kicking the stiff body. I frustratingly ran my hands through my hair, roughly scraping my scalp in the process. Dimitri stood up next to the Strigoi, his tall shadow creeping up my body and over my head. The look on his face spoke legions. The fury in his eyes wasn't derived from battle like it had with me and Eddie. I knew instantly it was because of what I did. It was because of me.

"Dimitri I..." I was suddenly speechless, terrified of the next words that would escape my mouth or his.

"We'll discuss this later Rose," his voice was hard and cold. I felt a chill pass through me as he spoke.

"You have to understand. I was just—"

"I said we'll talk about it later Rose!" The volume of his voice hadn't risen any, the earlier animosity from the interrogation had faded. But the force behind his words seemed to reverberate off the walls and into my chest.

I gulped down any other objections I had been about to make and fell silent under his fierce gaze.

The chill from his words started to grow and crept into my mind. I then realized, much too late, that it was actually Lissa pulling me in again and I was helpless to stop her. "No, no, no." I desperately shook my head trying to get her out, but my efforts were worthless. The bloodied horror scene before me faded out like a mirage and before I could blink I was transported into a luxurious bedroom. Lissa was splayed out like a satiated cat, lounging on a smooth black cherry bedspread.

"Hello, Rose," she purred.

I scowled in my own body at the sound of her tainted voice. "It appears you disposed of my associates. Hm, that wasn't very nice," she feigned disappointment while reaching for a small crystal bottle full of thick, red liquid. She carefully screwed off the top, pulling out a short brush. It looked like the same shade of nail polish that was on her fingers during her meeting with Grigory; but when she started daintily brushing it over her long nails, I could smell the stench of blood.

"Ugh, Rose don't be such a prude. You only feel disgusted now because you have no idea what's it like," she deeply inhaled the scent of her perverse manicure, lighting up my senses. "Once you are awakened you won't be able to get enough," she said as she lightly blew on the fresh coat.

"It's truly exquisite Rose. Mmm, the pleasure it arouses." Memories of blood dripping from her open mouth skimmed through my vision as she reminisced. "It's like feeling cold, but at the same time _hot_ all over," Lissa let out a moan, stretching her arms behind her and rolling her shoulders back. "Not that a virgin like you would know what I'm talking about," she added with an annoyed tone.

An image of Dimitri shirtless and on top of me traitorously invaded my mind. I quickly tried to push it out but felt something latch on to it and drag it back as Lissa straightened up on her bed. Another flash of his perfect chest heaving above me was pulled into our vision; his tight biceps flexing under my touch, the way my breath caught as he ravaged my neck and whispered my name. _Roza_.

"Rose you dirty bitch! And with _my_ Guardian nonetheless." Her twisted amusement shot through the bond.

"Shut up," I spat back. She finally allowed me to push the memories away to the dark corner I had been hiding them, leaving an empty feeling in my head, stomach, and heart.

"Oh my god, you love him?! Don't you?" I gritted my teeth.

"Oh, this is just too good," she laughed bitterly. "I guess I can't really blame you. He does look awfully delicious. Maybe if you agree to share, I'll let you keep him as your little pet," she snickered.

"I said SHUT UP!" I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed at the top of my lungs, letting my full barriers down and released the shadows I desperately tried to keep under control. Black clouds framed our vision and a mind-numbing tension pressed into our skulls.

"What are you doing? What is this," she shrieked. The twisted spirits flew out from all directions swarming around us. Lissa frantically tried to swat them away but to no avail. Their contorted faces silently screamed at us as their skeletal fingers reached out towards her. I heard Lissa wail just before I was pulled back into my own body.

I tried to put the wall back up, but the splitting pain only grew, and the ghosts turned their assault on me. I screamed for them to go away, to leave me alone, but eventually, the pain was too much to bear. Impending blackness completely covered my vision and I felt someone wrap their arms around me as my unconscious body fell to the ground.

* * *

 **A/N:** He's back! Our favorite Russian comes to save the day. This fight scene was one of my absolute favorite moments so far, especially paired with Black Ajax. That song just exudes Dimitri. Thoughts on our mini-battle? How about Lissa's creepy conversation? We are finally getting a stronger taste of what she's like and a peek into her motivations.

As far as the clubs go, Zavlekat' was mostly made up with some inspiration here and there from other bars I've seen; however, Bar Guevara is a real place in Novosibirsk. I was intrigued by the huge star out front and the industrial vibe it gave off but changed how the inside looked for the purpose of this scene. I hope y'all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it and would love to hear what you think! Thanks to everyone out there still sticking with it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ch. 12**

 **Songs:** Us Against the World - Coldplay, White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes, It Was A Sin - The Revivalists

A smell wrapped around me, something familiar yet, not. The only way I could think to describe it was _warm_. It was nothing like that dingy, dirty alley coated in Strigoi blood. I must have been moved since then. I could hear hushed voices in the background. I couldn't tell if they were speaking English or something else; there was a light ringing in my ears distracting my senses and I was still too tired to open my eyes.

I involuntarily let out a soft groan as the dull ringing bounced off my skull. My head felt like it weighed 50 lbs. Considering all the spirits it had been housing earlier I wasn't surprised. I felt a tender, calloused hand lovingly rest on my arm to settle me. My eyelids began to flutter open and I could make out features of a blurred face. Dimitri's brown eyes were looking down at me, but they didn't belong to him.

I looked around the room and saw another pair, and another pair; all the same as Dimitri's but none were his. Where was he? Where was I? The figure above me must have recognized my rising panic and spoke to me, "Shh. There, there it's alright dear."

It was a woman's voice. Within her soothing tone, I could detect the faintest trace of a Russian accent. I blinked a few times to focus my vision and for the first time, I could see her properly. Her resemblance to Dimitri was uncanny, but she had wrinkles from years of worry around her mouth and eyes. I should have felt unnerved by being in a strange place with a strange woman I didn't know, but something about her told me I could trust her. "Where are—"

Before I could finish my query, loud footsteps came booming down some stairs nearby along with smaller more frantic steps in tow. I could hear a child giggling and speaking in, what I assumed was, Russian. Shortly after, Eddie whipped around the corner with a bouncing baby girl on his head and a small boy running at his heels. A dark-haired woman, slightly older than Dimitri, smiled and reached for the baby. Her smile sparked a familiarity in me, recognizing it as the full grin Dimitri rarely wore and only reserved for me. Even the small boy behind Eddie looked like a mini version of Dimitri. It was like he was everywhere, but not here.

When the woman settled the baby in her arms, Eddie turned to the room I was in and noticed I was awake. "Rose! Glad to see you up. You gave us a bit of a scare back there," he strode over to the couch I was laying on and knelt down beside me. The older woman from earlier stood up, allowing him to get closer to me.

"Eddie," I sat up so that we were at eye level. "What the hell is going on? Where are we?" He chuckled at my uneasiness and looked up at the older woman.

"This is Olena Belikova. We are in her home." Olena nodded her head towards me and responded, "It's nice to officially meet you, Rose."

Eddie spent the next few minutes catching me up to speed. It turns out Olena Belikova had a reputation among her peers for healing—not the sort of magical healing I had recently grown accustomed to. She'd had medical training and was the person other Dhampirs—and even some Moroi—went to see in this region when they wanted to avoid human attention. Oh, and on top of that...she was Dimitri's mother.

After I collapsed, they had taken me here via a private jet to Omsk then a short car ride over to Baia, Dimitri's hometown. I had been out of it for nearly two days but was assured my recovery would speed up from here on out. When I asked Eddie more specific questions, like how two lowly Dhampirs got access to a private jet, he gave a sidelong glance to Olena. She flashed me a friendly smile and replied, "It's probably best my son fill you in on the rest of the details."

I was confused why they were keeping information from me but realized I was more confused why he wasn't here. "Where _is_ Dimitri?"

Eddie stayed quiet with an apprehensive look on his face and let Olena answer again. "He is probably still at the old gym. Eddie, maybe if Rose is feeling up for it you could show her the way? I need you to run a couple errands for me in town, so you could drop her by there on your way out. I'm sure she would like to stretch her legs." Before her last statement left her mouth, I could feel my muscles ache from the lack of exercise.

"Sure thing Ms. Belikova. I'll just go grab our coats." Eddie jumped up and headed towards the stairs he had barreled down earlier.

"Sweetheart, how many times must I tell you, please call me Olena." He gave her a cheeky smile and disappeared up the stairs. Errands? Sweetheart? I felt like I had entered the twilight zone and landed in some episode of Leave it to Beaver.

Olena motioned for the younger woman and two kids to enter the room. "Rose, this is my daughter Karolina and her children Paul and Zoya." Karolina wore her Dimitri grin with the baby on her hip and I tried my best to give her a polite smile in return, which probably came out as more of a scowl as I stretched my stiff legs out over the edge of the couch. The little boy plopped down next to me and began drilling me with questions. "Did you really fight Strigoi with my uncle Dimka? How many have you killed? Do you have tattoos?"

"Paul," Karolina chastised. "Where are your manners?"

"It's okay." Weirdly, I found the little stranger's questions more amusing than annoying. Maybe I hit my head when I passed out in the alley. Or maybe it was just the naive curiosity dancing in his eyes that prompted me to indulge. I sat up straighter and turned my back to him, lifting my hair to show my bare neck. I heard gasps simultaneously from Paul and Karolina.

"Woah! I've never seen that one before! What is it?" Karolina seemed to be in awe as she responded to her son. "That's a Zvezda. Only Dhampirs who have fought in battle wear them. Too many kills to count."

I felt my cheeks flush with pride during their admiration of my marks, but the gratified glow completely drained when I was reminded of that day. The words "battle" and "kills" echoed through my ears. I soberly dropped my hair and looked down at my hands, remembering them soaked in blood and fragments of scorched skin. My fingertips began to quiver as the gruesome memories of those I'd slain threatened to rear their heads.

Suddenly, a small, gentle hand hovered over mine before hesitantly giving my palm a squeeze. It was notably strong for how small it was. I looked over to Paul sitting next to me, his curiosity gone and a knowing look resting on his face. My grisly thoughts melted away and I felt instantly calmed under his comforting gaze. We sat there looking at each other for a moment as he studied my face. I wondered what was going on in his head. Had he seen that cryptic look on my face before, and where?

I let out a nervous laugh at the fact that a 10-year-old had just prevented me from having an anxiety attack and abruptly stood up off the couch. My legs felt a little unsteady at first, but I quickly righted myself and felt grounded.

As if on cue, Eddie scrambled into the living room and interrupted my embarrassment. "Ready to go Hathaway?" He stood in the entryway holding my coat out towards me.

"Yeah. Let's go." I walked towards Eddie and snatched my coat from his hand. "It was uh, nice meeting you," I called over my shoulder as we walked out the front door.

There was a brisk chill in the air, but with the sun shining it was relatively pleasant out. Not at all what I expected from Siberia. My legs still didn't feel quite right, but the more we walked the better I felt. Eddie pleasantly chatted along our walk, pointing out little details here and there. As we came closer to town, I was intrigued by what I saw. Baia wasn't a big city by any means, like Saint Petersburg or Novosibirsk, but it was an actual town with a surprisingly dense human population. From rumored descriptions of Blood Whore communes I had heard over the years I was almost expecting a rural camp or farm settlement, but the whole setting was remarkably normal. When we reached what Eddie called downtown the streets were lined with local shops and restaurants, and it too seemed like any other place in the world people might reside. Traditionally modern, just with a slight village feel.

Eddie was pointing out a drugstore that Dimitri's sister, Sonya, worked at when I heard someone call out his name. I looked over to the left to see a girl about our age waving in our direction. She had the same brown hair as the Belikovas, but with golden streaks peeking out under the sun's gaze. She was standing with a young, very cute, Dhampir guy. Eddie waved back and made his way over, I obligingly followed.

"Hey, Vika. How's it goin?"

"Hi Eddie," she smiled at him before turning towards me. "It's good to see you up, Rose." I stood there with a questioning look. "Oh, sorry." She giggled and stuck out her hand. "I'm Viktoria Belikova. Dimitri's sister."

"Geeze how many of you are there," I said sarcastically, accepting her hand.

She laughed and continued to introduce the guy next to her, "This is my friend from school, Nikolai," he had bronze hair and dark eyes, his age falling somewhere near mine and Eddie's. He smiled at me politely then turned his attention back to Viktoria, watching her adoringly. "What are you two up to today? Has my mother got you running more errands," Viktoria teased.

Eddie sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, just a few. But I'm showing Rose the way to the gym first."

Viktoria shot me a look somewhere between pity and amusement. "Hmm well, good luck with that. Hopefully, he's in a better mood than yesterday." She and Eddie shared a light chuckle and I suddenly felt out of the loop.

Growing annoyed, I steered the conversation in a new direction. "Well, it was nice meeting you Viktoria, but we should really get going." Sensing my irritation, an apologetic look crossed Viktoria's face.

"Sorry Rose. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Dimitri's just been a bit of a grump since he arrived home. But I understand, you two probably have a lot to talk about. I'll see you guys back at the house later." I felt a little bad for my attitude slipping out and gave another attempt at my "polite" smile as Eddie and I set out.

"Oh, and Rose," Viktoria called to us. "Call me Vika, okay?"

"Sure Vika. It was nice meeting you too, Nikolai." They gave us friendly waves as Eddie and I continued on our way. I was starting to wonder if all the Belikovs had some hidden power that could lighten any mood.

We finally approached an older, gray building. Eddie awkwardly slapped my back and stumbled, "So, uh there's the gym. You can just, uh go on in, and—yeah." I, unsuccessfully, attempted a Dimitri Belikov one raised eyebrow look, but I'm pretty sure Eddie still got the point. His expression turned somewhat sympathetic and he gave my arm a supportive squeeze. "I'll see you later Rose." He turned and headed back towards town and for the first time since waking up, I accepted my nervousness.

I decided there was no point in stalling and pushed through the gym door. I could hear muted grunts and hits against a punching bag lightly drumming along to the beat of an 80's anthem. He must not have noticed my entrance and continued his rhythmic assault. I cleared my throat and he hung his arms down with his back to me. He muttered something in Russian that I didn't understand.

"Uh, you do know I practically cheated my way through foreign language?" He spun his body around at the sound of my voice, pieces of his damp hair that never quite stayed in his ponytail stuck to his jaw. His face shifted from surprise, concern, to relief all in an instant, before throwing up his stoic Guardian mask. The subtle changes would have gone unnoticed by most, but I had mastered the art of detecting his hidden emotions.

"I thought you were Karo," he said in a monotone voice, all the earlier signs of sentiment completely vanished. Unable to resist myself, I indulged in the opportunity to break down those infuriating walls of his the best way I knew how—throw out my infamous Rose Hathaway sarcasm.

"Yeah, about that. I'm attacked by a band of demented spirits, Paranormal Activity style, and you take me home to your mom? Not really what I would have expected, Comrade." He stubbornly held onto that impassive look and turned away from me while he began unraveling his hand wraps.

Determined to break his reserved attitude I asserted more sass. "You'd think with access to a private jet you could have taken us to—I don't know—Thailand? Bermuda? Anywhere other than Siberia, really."

Fed up with my antics, Dimitri whipped around with lightning speed to face me full on. His gaze mirrored the same look he wore in the alley after the Strigoi fight, and I felt like spiders were prickling up my arms. "Do you really think this is some joking matter? What you did was reckless. It was dangerous and stupid, Rose."

My anger retaliated, "Lissa needed me. I had to do something! I couldn't just sit around and do nothing while I waited for you to find a way to convince me to leave it alone." I could see the faintest hint of hurt in his eyes suppressed by anger.

"You could have gotten yourself killed! You could have gotten _both_ of you killed." The thought of Eddie's still, bloodied body lying in that alley ripped at my insides. Another one of my friends gone because of me. I could tell Dimitri regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but I didn't care.

"Oh, you're so high and mighty! You always know the right thing to do. I'm sorry I'm not perfect like you and don't consider every precise detail before acting, but the consequences were worth the risk. I _have_ to help her." My retribution started out angry and malicious, but by the end of it, my voice sounded desperate. My chest felt tight and my breathing became shallow and quick. Red eyes that should have been jade green flashed through my vision and I fought the urge to fall to my knees.

"I have to help her," I whispered, my hands starting to shake.

"Roza," his voice was calmer and quiet now like he was approaching a wounded animal. "I understand. I do." He took a few steps towards me but stopped before getting too close. I saw his hand itching to reach out to me and my body stiffened, torn between want and fear. _Lissa Comes First. Lissa Comes First._

His hand stilled and glued to his side as he continued. "I wasn't going to stop you. I just wanted some time to come up with a plan. I want to help you, Rose. I know things are...different, but the promises I made to you still stand. I said I will always be there for you and I meant it. Even after everything that's happened, I hoped you could still trust me." Those last words hung heavy in the air, his stone mask cracked revealing the full weight of them. The realization of what I had done completely sank in. The others had known the consequences and agreed to the plan, but Dimitri—I had looked him in the face and lied to him. I knew things would never be the same between us; I could never give into my feelings for him again and had completely closed my heart off to him, but it didn't mean I didn't still trust him. He had been there for me more times than I could count, and I repaid him with dishonesty and betrayal.

"I...I'm sorry." He looked surprised by my response. "You're right. I wasn't thinking clearly," I looked into his deep eyes so he could see my sincerity. "There's just so much going on in my head, and I can't sort out what's right and wrong. All I know is that she needs me, and if there's even the smallest chance that I can help her, I have to take it." Dimitri stood there, completely still, soaking up everything I was saying. "I trust you Dimitri, more than anyone, and I'm sorry I fractured that."

He remained still for a moment longer and nodded his head in understanding. "Thank you, Rose," his words came out barely above a whisper. "And I promise I won't give you a reason to doubt me ever again. We'll figure this out...together."

His words soothed me and even though I had spent the past few weeks pushing him away, I realized my best chances of getting to Lissa were with Dimitri by my side. Not only were his battle skills unmatched, the proof was ingrained on his skin and in my mind, but he knew the darkest parts of me and had this unspoken way of bringing me back to the light when they threatened to overtake me. My control had been teetering on the border of madness and restraint, and standing there with the Russian god, for the first time I truly felt confident that we could formulate a plan to successfully reach Lissa. In that moment I realized I didn't only need him there—I wanted him there. I shook those thoughts from my head and returned to my former bravado to ease the tension in the old gym.

"Well, now that that's settled...why don't you tell me how the hell you got access to a private jet."

* * *

 **A/N:** Bonus track Livin' on a Prayer. I can totally see Dimitri smashing some bags while jamming out to Bon Jovi lol.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ch. 13**

 **Amsterdam - Gregory Alan Isakov, This Feeling - Alabama Shakes**

 **RPOV**

Dinner at Dimitri's home was probably a normal affair for most families but was a completely foreign concept to me. All the Belikova women, apart from Sonya who was still at work, rushed around the kitchen to prepare the food and get things ready while Eddie and I tried our best to stay out of the way. Dimitri assumed the role of "Uncle Dimka" and kept the kids distracted while their mother helped Olena. We sat in the living room listening to Paul barrage Dimitri with a thousand questions while the tall Russian bounced Zoya in his lap to keep her from repeatedly reaching for his hair. Every once in a while, she would succeed in snatching a piece and he would have to gently pry her little hands from it. There was a huge grin plastered on his face and he actually seemed amused by Paul's rambling. Dimitri never lost his patience with the young boy and politely answered all of his prying questions, switching between English and Russian effortlessly.

Observing that softer side of Dimitri as he played with the little ones caused me to see him in a whole new light. I had witnessed him as a full-fledged warrior god, scolding mentor, and scorned lover all in a short amount of time, and watching him completely at ease in his childhood home made me realize there was still so much about him that I didn't know.

This place—the people, the smells—seemed to exude warmth and comfort. Well, everything except Yeva. I hadn't had the honor of meeting Dimitri's grandmother until we sat for dinner and it was apparent the old woman was not a fan of me. She didn't speak much, and only in Russian, but the looks she gave me spoke legions. Dimitri had told me once that she was a witch. Looking at her now, it was extremely apparent how she had gotten that reputation. She looked like she was over 100 years old, but the pointed gleam in her eyes was sharp enough to pierce right through you. I met her surly gaze a few times and refused to back down, but I could tell our little standoff was making the other Belikova women uncomfortable and reverted my attention to the large plate of food in front of me for the remainder of the meal.

After dinner, Olena had insisted she didn't need any help cleaning up and shooed us away. Dimitri beckoned Eddie and I outside so we could talk, and I immediately hopped up, relieved to get away from the ancient woman shooting daggers at me from across the table.

"Man, that old lady is creepy," I whispered to Eddie once we were in the hall.

"You have no idea," he smirked back and wrapped an arm around my shoulders to pull me outside.

Dimitri had started a fire in a stone pit in the backyard and was seated at one of the chairs surrounding it. The flames' yellow glow revealed a serious look on his face, all the earlier complacent emotions hidden behind a stone mask. We matched his disposition and took our seats across the fire from him. Eddie tried his best to look self-assured, but I could tell he was intimidated by the seasoned Guardian in front of us. I wasn't sure how much information they had discussed while I was unconscious, so I waited for one of them to speak first. Dimitri gave Eddie a small nod—not sure what that was about—and my star-struck friend turned to me to begin the conversation. He told me that after I had fallen, he questioned the human girl in the alley hoping to get some answers but apparently, she turned out to be just an addict and didn't seem to be in collusion with our attackers. He skimmed over the events of our arrival in Baia and briefly mentioned that a Moroi named Abe Mazur had given them access to means of transportation but didn't go into as much detail as I would have liked. I would have to come back to that later but true to Rose Hathaway style, I was more interested in discussing our plan of action first.

I told Dimitri about my Lissa vision during her meeting with Grigory and our initial plan to get more information out of him. It now seemed like it was all a ruse to get us to come to her, but something told me not to discount that last bit of intel we received from Arthur about the group of Moroi and their matching rings. If they were all part of some underground organization, it was very possible that they were all working together with the Strigoi.

"What was up with that last Strigoi in the alley," Eddie questioned. "I didn't think they had loyalties to anything." I was confused by those eerie last words just as much as Eddie was. Dimitri finally spoke after listening intently for the duration of our little powwow.

"Occasionally they develop a sort of gratitude for the Strigoi that has turned them, but I have never seen anything to the extent of what we saw." He seemed to ponder this for a moment. "A lot of times they end up turning on each other, even on the ones who created them, but ending his existence to escape interrogation of her whereabouts...it's unheard of. They value power and immortality above all else."

"He said 'she is everywhere'. Do you think she can get into their heads too...like you, Rose?" Eddie waited for my response, but I was lost in thought, remembering her pulling me in and trapping me inside her mind. I tried to push away those spine-chilling memories and added an extra barrier to the wall I kept up.

"Regardless if she can, it's obvious she is three steps ahead of everything we do," I finally mustered, unconsciously rubbing the side of my head. The fire had mostly died down leaving behind a jumble of orange and white flaked coals that pulsed with color and heat as the light breeze brushed over them. I stared at the hot masses, watching the glowing waves move through them, and subtly fought the temptation of reaching out and grasping them in order to banish the chill that never seemed to leave me.

"I think there is someone who can help us with that," Dimitri's reassuring voice broke me out of my trance and I snapped my eyes away from the smoldering pit. "There is a couple in the village who are bonded, like you and Lissa. Now that you are feeling better we can visit them tomorrow and see what they know about these visions."

Eddie furrowed his brows as he looked at me, silently questioning if I had known about this before. I realized this couple was probably who Dimitri was referring to before I left the academy when he told me he wanted to contact someone that could help. I felt a pang of guilt rise again for doubting him and leaving him behind. The light crackles from the last of the dying fire disrupted the silence as the two Dhampirs in front of me waited again for my response.

I nodded and said, "Okay. Let's do it. What's the worst that could happen, right?" Eddie let out a light chuckle and Dimitri rose to go inside and ring them.

"C'mon. I'll show you to your room. You must be beat," Eddie motioned for me to follow and walked me inside to one of the bedrooms upstairs. Along the way he pointed out where the women and children were sharing rooms and said he would be sleeping downstairs on the couch where I had been resting earlier. I spotted my duffel bag from the hotel in Novosibirsk at the edge of the bed. As I walked further into the room it suddenly dawned on me that this was Dimitri's bedroom.

Convinced that I was settled, Eddie headed back downstairs leaving me alone with my thoughts. I changed into some casual sleepwear and started to look around, noticing the little details of Dimitri's pre-Guardian life. His room was pretty sparse, similar to the one at the academy, but with a few more photos here and there, some old books scattered on top of table tops and dressers, and a much larger bed covered in worn quilts. One side of the room had a window looking out towards the street and the other had a small fireplace housing light crackling flames. I supposed Olena must have lit it while we were outside. Although the days had been relatively warm, it had gotten significantly colder at night and the Belikov's didn't appear to have ample central heating. I pictured them all huddled together in the living room wrapped in handmade blankets, providing warmth with each other's company and laughter. There was so much love in this home, nothing at all what I had pictured in the stories I had heard about Blood Whore communes. Being around them made me almost feel whole, but at the same time shamefully jealous for missing out on this companionship for the majority of my life. Lissa's family was the closest thing I had to one of my own, but after their death, it had just been me and her. Now...now there was nothing. There was no one.

I heard a throat clear and jolted around, almost dropping a photograph in my hand that I hadn't even realized I'd picked up. Dimitri stood in the doorway and looked at the frame in my hand. Still slightly startled I fumbled to get something out.

"I, I'm sorry. I uh, didn't mean to pry. I just..." I trailed off, not sure how to finish since I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing in the first place. Dimitri took a few steps towards me and gently took the photo from my hands. He gazed at it for a moment, admiring the captured memory. I finally noticed the image it held and watched as Dimitri's expression morphed into a sad smile.

"This was taken after graduation when I found out I would be assigned to Ivan." A younger Dimitri and a handsome blonde Moroi had their arms around each other with huge smiles on their faces. I wasn't sure if I had ever seen Dimitri that happy. It dawned on me that the part of me that had been missing since I lost Lissa had left a similar hole in Dimitri all those years ago. He walked over to his dresser and carefully placed the picture back on top before turning to look towards me again.

"There are extra blankets under the bed if you get cold, but the fire should keep you warm throughout the night." He turned towards the door and started to walk out. I thought about the rooms upstairs that Eddie had pointed out to me and suddenly wondered, "Wait. Where are you sleeping?"

He looked over his shoulder and responded. "There's a recliner downstairs that will do just fine. Sleep well, Rose." He turned to leave again.

"Hang on. You mean that old rickety chair you were sitting in earlier?" I placed my hands on my hips and attempted to raise an eyebrow at him. He turned around to face me fully this time looking slightly annoyed.

"I would hardly say 'old and rickety', but yes. I slept in it the past couple of nights and was perfectly fine." I knew from the others that I had been predominantly on the couch while I was out of it, so I wondered why he didn't occupy his room then. Was he watching over me while I was asleep?

"Listen Comrade, I am not going to be responsible for putting a crick in your neck or giving you a stiff back. You're not getting any younger you know?" My attempt at humor brushed off him and he just rolled his eyes. "Besides, Eddie snores like a bear in hibernation. It would be cruel of me to subject you to that."

Dimitri let out a light chuckle, unable to hold it back any longer. "And what is it you are proposing then," he questioned as he crossed his arms over his chest. I thought about it for a second before responding. What was I proposing? The bed was certainly big enough for the both of us, but could I handle being so close to him while still maintaining my control? I took a gamble.

"You should stay in here. With me." His eyes grew a little wider. I put out a bit more seriousness in my tone to continue my argument. "You'll need a proper night's sleep with what we are up against. We all need to be in top form." I thought about the events we discussed around the fire and the possibilities that lie ahead.

"And…." I hesitated.

"Yes, Rose?" There was a hopeful note in his voice. He dropped his hands to his side, waiting for me to continue my last thought. I suddenly realized that my reasons for asking him to stay weren't just for his benefit, but for my own as well. I didn't want to admit it, to myself or anyone, but I was afraid to be alone.

"And if she comes—if she tries to get in my head again—you can snap me out of it. Shake me or slap me or something to bring me back. Like you did before...with the darkness." The meekness of my voice surprised even me, and I could tell Dimitri was startled by it as well. I nervously scratched my arm and looked anywhere but at him while I waited for him to make up his mind. I suddenly felt extremely vulnerable under his gaze.

"Okay," he said softly. "I'll do what I can. Whatever you need Rose."

"Alright," I put a false bravado back into my voice and walked over to the bed. "I get the right side."

He smirked at me and walked around to the other side without arguments. We simultaneously lifted the covers and got into the bed. I looked over at him, finally noticing how exhausted he truly looked, and felt a sense of pride for winning my argument and granting him the simple pleasure of sleeping in a comfortable bed. I laid my head down on the pillow and was immediately wrapped in his scent. I inhaled the familiar combination of pine and—what I could only describe as—Dimitri and let my eyes close heavily. The sound of his easy breathing began to lull me into sleep and I thought of his smiling face next to a blonde Moroi boy as I drifted off.

…...

Sleep came easily but didn't last long.

I felt my world shifting and started to feel panicked. Would Dimitri notice? Would he be able to get me out?

Suddenly the air was filled with moisture and I could see the sun reflecting off the specs of light rain before they grazed my face. I felt the familiar tingling of spirit magic and I spun around frantically searching for Adrian. I finally spotted him near a tall pine tree casually holding an umbrella.

I launched myself into his arms and clutched onto him. My hysterical reaction caught him off guard and I think he had half expected me to punch him rather than hug him by the stupor on his face and his stiff posture. After his initial shock wore off, Adrian wrapped his free arm around my back and pulled me in a little tighter. "Not that I'm not glad to receive such a warm welcome, but is everything okay Rose?"

I released my hold on him and pulled back a little, slightly embarrassed by my reaction. "Sorry. I'm just so relieved it's you. I thought it was," my voice trailed off. Adrian didn't need further explanation.

He gave me a comforting smile and nudged my chin with his knuckles. "It's okay kid. It's just me." He lazily draped an arm over my shoulder and held the umbrella over us as we walked towards a lake.

"Is this where you are? I've never seen this place before," I asked him.

"Yes. I've been dealing with this insufferable rain for days. You should see my hair right now," He looked seriously disturbed at the mention of his ruined hair and I couldn't help but let out a laugh. Adrian mock gasped at my reaction and feigned insult.

"Sorry," I composed myself. "But can't you make it stop. I mean in here at least?"

"That, I _can_ do," he wiggled his eyebrows and wore a cocky grin. The mist around us quickly dissipated up towards the sky and the sun creeped out behind a group of gray clouds. "Ahh, much better," he sighed. "So Little Dhampir, care to tell me what you've been up to?"

"You mean my trusty babysitter hasn't been informed of all my mishaps the past few days? Eddie must be slacking," I taunted.

"Hey, I resent that! And yes, Castile has kept me ' _informed'_ but I thought you might want to chat about some of the intel you gathered." I suppressed a groan to hearing they were still keeping tabs on me when I remembered there was information I wanted to discuss with him.

"Actually, now that you mention it, there was something one of the bartenders we talked to revealed. Grigory wasn't there, obviously, but the bartender said that he would come in with a group of other Moroi douchebags for secret meetings in the back room. He said they all had matching rings," Adrian looked less surprised than I would have expected. Actually, he looked rather sure of himself.

"You mean, like this?" He held out his hand and a small gold ring materialized in his palm. I inspected it and saw the same markings as the one I had seen on Grigory's finger and the Strigoi from the alley.

"Yes! That's exactly it. Where did you—" I picked up the ring and rolled it through my fingers as Adrian jumped in.

"I had a strange suspicion after you described it that this could be the same ring, but what you just said only confirmed it. I saw that ring once before in my father's dresser. It was the same one he wore at school. When he was part of the Mână." My eyes went wide. The Mână at St. Vladimir's were the ones responsible for the attack on the school. Their secret meetings, which really just consisted of pretentious royal pricks torturing each other into using compulsion, had tampered with the wards leaving us vulnerable and unprotected. They had also violently used their magic against Lissa to the point that Spirit's darkness took over her and caused to her fight back with uncontrollable force.

"Lissa hated those idiots. Why would she be seeking them out and making agreements with them?"

"I'm not sure Little Dhampir. But at least we've solved one part of the puzzle. We might be able to track her through these different Mână groups." I nodded and contemplated his suggestion.

"On another note," he continued. "Unfortunately, we aren't having much luck here. Our leads in Washington are running dry, more or less," he subconsciously touched his hair. "But there are a couple more places to check out before we try somewhere else."

With all the Mână talk I had forgotten to mention the plan Dimitri presented to us tonight. I told Adrian about the other Spirit user in Baia and our scheduled meeting with them tomorrow. "Maybe they will have some information about other Spirit users that can help us too." Suddenly, Adrian's gaze shifted from my face to just above my head and he looked like he was inspecting something. I felt a warm tingling feeling all over and Adrian's eyebrows rose to the top of his forehead.

"Woah!"

"What? What is it," I turned to look behind me but there was nothing there. When I turned back around, Adrian was still staring above my head.

"Your aura...it's lighting up like a Christmas tree." He looked back to my face with a sense of seriousness and wonder. "What are you doing right now, I mean back in your body?"

"Uh, sleeping. Duh," I gestured around us.

"Right," he mused, rubbing his hand on his chin. "Well, whatever it is, keep doing it. It's pushing the darkness away faster than I've ever seen." That warm tingling started to increase, and I could feel my body begin to stir.

I was waking up. Adrian seemed to notice before I did and was slowly backing away from me.

"Until next time Little Dhampir." He shot me a wink and the world around us quickly dissolved back into blackness.

Back in my body, I could still feel that warming comfort coursing through me. The chill that had been haunting me the past few weeks was almost completely gone, and I didn't want to open my eyes yet in case it was a side effect of Adrian's Spirit magic. I basked in the tranquil feeling and let all the tension I had been holding onto melt away. However, when I nuzzled my face deeper into my pillow it started to move. I snapped my eyes open and remained perfectly still, suddenly realizing that my pillow was no longer there. Where fabric and feathers once occupied the space beneath me, was now a cotton shirt over firmly sculpted muscles, radiating the sweet scent of pine.

I was laying on Dimitri's chest.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, as you have probably already guessed a familiar scene is coming up. This is one of my favorite scenes from all of the VA series, so I knew I wanted to fit it into this story but with my own rendition of it and (true to this story) some angsty role reversal. Get ready for some long-awaited Romitri action next chapter. Coming up we will also be moving away from the single POV and going to back to multiple POVs. I hope you enjoyed hearing from Rose for a while, but it's about time we get to know what's going on with everyone else.

As far as the songs go, I fell in love with Amsterdam and it just spoke Belikov vibes to me. Picturing Dimitri with the kiddos then again in his room brings a smile to my face when listening to this song. Also, This Feeling has such a dreamlike atmosphere to it I found it so fitting for a Spirit dream scene. Especially with Rose's initial reaction of feeling safe—the lyrics coincide with her in that moment.

On another note, a big shout-out to all you guest reviewers. Some of you have been amazingly supportive and I hate that I can't respond to you. So, thank you thank you and I hope you continue following this story.


	14. Chapter 14

**Spoiler Alert:** I realize the notifications weren't really working that great last week so to anyone who has not read Ch. 13 yet major spoilers coming up. Otherwise, read on :)

* * *

 **Ch. 14**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs: Waltz for the Faithless - Peter Bradley Adams, Fix You - Coldplay, To Be Alone - Hozier**

I closed my eyes waiting for sleep to take me but waited a moment before drifting off to make sure Rose was sleeping soundly. From what I remembered, Rose was unable to reach Vasilisa through the bond while the princess slept; I could only hope it still worked the same way. I felt her stir next to me and turned to look at her. Rose's brow was furrowed, and her eyes were darting around under her lids. I sat up and reached for her, ready to wake her if needed, but she quickly calmed and her features formed into a relaxed look. She looked so peaceful as she lay there next to me. Her hair spilled in deep midnight waves around her. I resisted the urge to twirl a piece around my finger for fear of waking her from her serene slumber.

I wished she could always be this at peace. As I watched her rest, I whispered a quick prayer over her in an attempt to harness that tranquility. I wouldn't call myself a devout man, but I hoped the hallowed words would provide some protection from the demons that haunted her.

"Bozhe, zashchiti moyu vozlyublennuyu.  
Moy dikiy tsvetok.  
Sokhranyat' yeye ot nasiliya...  
i ot vreda.  
V etom meste...  
i kazhdoye mesto.  
V etu noch'...  
i kazhduyu noch'."

Satisfied that she was soundly asleep, I laid back again and caved into my exhaustion.

I dreamt of the first time I had spoken to Rose about Ivan. It was after one of our training sessions in the gym and was really one of the first times I had opened up to anyone about him. She regarded me with her usual curiosity but was careful not to offend me. I remembered feeling strangely comfortable openly talking to her about him when I had been so closed off to everyone else that broached the subject.

Back then, even speaking his name would cause the gory scene of him laying in a pool of blood to invade my mind. However, the look Rose wore as I answered her questions about that day pulled me from my gruesome thoughts. I was in awe by her reaction. The worry that crossed her features spoke an array of hidden messages to me. Her worry for my inner turmoil, someone she had just met; her worry for her own friend and future charge; and worry that she could one day be faced with the same situation. It was one of those rare times where Rose's unadulterated dedication to our position completely shined through. A lot of times she would hide behind sarcasm and humor but in that moment, I could see how badly she wanted to become the best she could to protect her friend.

I no longer felt that rising feeling of self-doubt and horror. I felt like I had a purpose again and would do everything in my power to teach her all that she needed to know to become an elite Guardian. In the end, it hadn't been enough, but I indulged in the blissful ignorance that those memories provided as I slept.

In reality, our conversation was short-lived and over about as quickly as it had started, but my imagination molded it and extended the recollection. We sat in the gym a little longer, exchanging stories of our favorite moments with our friends and casually laughed at some of the antics Ivan got me into when we were in school. Her face lit up when she laughed, and I reveled in bringing that carefree side out of her.

"Hmm, he sounds like he was a really great guy," Rose mused.

"Yes," I replied in a far-off tone, my mind reeling with memories of Ivan. "He truly was."

My light-hearted demeanor faltered as the word ' _was'_ echoed in my mind and I dropped my gaze to the floor. Referring to him in the past tense was just another cruel reminder that he was no longer here. My thoughts shifted down the spiraling path. _I should have been there. I should have done more._

Then, just as Rose sensed my train of thought, she did the unthinkable. She reached out her hand to mine and gave it a comforting squeeze. I looked up to her, eyes wide and fixated on hers.

"It's not your fault, Dimitri." Her words sank deep within me and a tingling sensation radiated from her palm into mine. "None of it was your fault. He forgives you... _She_ forgives you... _I_ forgive you." She was no longer just referring to Ivan. The recent events of our present made their way into my dream and the desire to hear her say those words took shape.

"Roza," I whispered, raising my free hand to her face. When I reached out to touch it, my hand moved through her like smoke. Confused, I looked down to her clasped hand over mine as it started to fade away. The light tingling began to dissolve with her and that cold look she had worn in my room at the academy now adorned her translucent face.

"No Roza. Don't leave me. Please, please come back to me." I desperately lunged for her, trying to hold on for dear life, but her form vanished into thin air.

I pulled myself from my rising nightmare as the sight of Rose shutting herself off from me threatened to tear at my insides. At the end of these dreams, that had become a regular occurrence, I would wake feeling cold and empty; completely lost without her. But tonight, I was warmer than usual. I could feel a light foreign weight on my chest as my breathing steadied. When I opened my eyes to identify it, I was astonished by the sight before me.

Rose was in my arms.

I held my breath for a moment, afraid of disturbing her tranquil state. Had she gotten cold in the middle of the night and was just seeking warmth? I glanced over at the fire without moving my head and noticed the hot coals still radiating heat. Was it possible she was seeking out... _me_? I took in a slow breath, and Rose's reaction stunned me even more. The tiniest hint of a smile formed at the corner of her mouth and she sank deeper into me. If this was another dream, there was no way I would be waking myself up from it.

I laid there watching as she slept. One of her arms was leisurely draped over my torso and her chest was moving at a calm pace to match my own breathing. A silky strand threatened to spill across her face but again, I resisted the urge to move it. I just stared at her, reveling in this closeness.

After another few moments, I finally caved into my desires and delicately moved my arm out from under her and placed my hand just under her shoulder, wrapping her in my embrace. When she didn't stir, I tenderly rubbed circles on the spot of her back with my thumb. A light hum escaped her lips and she nuzzled her face against me. A swarm of happiness built within me at the ability to cause that reaction from her, consciously or not. That simple gesture made me feel more alive than I had in weeks—but it also caused her to wake.

She snapped her eyes open like she was ready to pounce, but she remained perfectly still. Rose evaluated the situation and seemed to be running a handful of questions through her mind. When it appeared she had finally landed on an answer to one, she looked up at me. With our gazes locked, I laid there waiting for her to leap out of my arms and out of the room, but she remained. In that moment she was no longer the scared, broken girl she had been desperately trying to hide, she wasn't fighting to push me away or run into battle fists first—she was my Roza. She looked at me with questioning awe, like she had just discovered the secret to the meaning of life. When she finally did move, it wasn't to get away. Rose propped herself up on one arm, slightly hovering over me to look directly into my eyes.

I automatically moved my hand up to her face, thrilled to find it didn't move through her like it had in my traitorous dream. I boldly brushed a piece of her silky hair behind her ear before selfishly letting my hand rest on her cheek, wanting to hold on to her as long as possible. She closed her eyes, letting out the softest sigh as she pushed closer into my palm. My breath caught at that magnificent sound. The familiarity of it warming deep within my chest and sending shockwaves through my arm.

Her eyes fluttered open and I suddenly felt jealous of my fingertips that rested on her heavenly face. What I wouldn't give to press my lips to her soft skin below them. As if reading my thoughts, her eyes flitted down to my lips, staring at them for only an instant before meeting my gaze again. The faint light from the dying fire reflected in her eyes, revealing burning embers of want and desire. They were no longer clouded by those hints of questioning hesitation. She wanted to kiss me.

I lifted my head off the pillow and began to slowly move towards her to oblige the silent request. Her lips parted in anticipation and she took in an excited breath as my fingers tangled in her hair. We were so close I could almost taste her lips on my tongue. I once read somewhere, "he had found sweetness sleeping still upon her lips, and felt that he had never been away." In that moment I wanted to rush my mouth to hers and savor that sweetness. I wanted to come home and never leave again.

Just as I moved to press those pale pink petals to mine, she pushed off me and turned away.

I sat there dazed, wondering if I had just imagined her being so close, but her heavy breaths told me it had been real. She positioned herself at the end of the bed and slowly brought her fingertips to her lips, lightly brushing them along the bottom one before dropping her hand—and her head—to her lap.

I reached out to her but halted before making contact. "Roza, please wait. I'm sorry. I thought…" Did I misread her signals? How could I have been so stupid? We were making progress; she had offered me a place to rest next to her for crying out loud and I immediately upset her. I was terrified of her vanishing into smoke and swirling away from me. I settled my panicked voice to just above a whisper in an attempt to hide my desperation. " _Please_ , talk to me."

With her back still towards me she responded, "No Dimitri, I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It was wrong."

"Wrong?" The question escaped me before coherent thoughts even formed in my mind. I thought about the way my heart felt when she was near, how she was able to see past my barriers and into my soul, the way her eyes seemed to mirror my exact thoughts and reflected the same love and adoration I felt for her. How could a connection so strong—something so precious to me—be _wrong_?

"Do you remember that day in the church, when I was afraid the darkness would lead me to the same fate as Shadow Kissed Anna?" She turned towards me but still didn't meet my eyes. "When I said, ' _They Come First_ ' you told me 'not always'." I could sense where she was going with this and my whole body tensed up. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear this, but she was talking to me, she was letting me in. Regardless of how badly it stung, I had to be strong for her. Sitting up a little straighter, I put up a stone mask to hide my hurt at her words.

"I thought that could be true," she continued. "That caring about each other as much as I cared about her would be okay. But look how it turned out. Look what's happened. It's my fault. What we did was wrong and now we are being punished."

I struggled to find words. My mind and heart were being pulled in two different directions. She was hurting, suffering from guilt and depression beyond comprehension, but what she was saying was blasphemy. I had spent months trying to deny myself the love that radiated between us, but when I finally decided to give in, there was no turning back. She had my heart and soul, whether she still wanted them or not, and as long as even an ounce of that still remained I couldn't stand for anyone denouncing our love; and that included her.

I was about to tell her so, but bit my tongue before the words escaped me. I had to remain in control. It was obvious my feelings towards her were causing some sort of inner turmoil and if I admonished her now for refuting those feelings, it was very possible she would close herself off to me again. Her protection was more important than anything else I was feeling, and I had to make sure I could still be there for her when the time came.

"I understand Rose," I removed all trace of emotion from my voice and locked the burning feelings in a box deep inside me. "And I'll give you the space you need."

A string of emotions flooded her face, and I watched them come in waves forming silent questions that would go unanswered. At first, she looked surprised by my yielding response but that quickly morphed into disappointment. Did she want me to argue with her? Was she hoping I would discredit her faulty reasoning? Before I could decipher what those looks meant, a new one formed on her face. Something much more familiar.

Rage.

Her hands gripped the rumpled quilts beside her and her lips were tightly pursed to accompany the bitter scowl across her brow.

"That's it?!" Her voice was quiet but still had a sharp bite. "A second ago you were practically begging me to talk about this and when I pour it all out that's all you have to say?"

"I made you a promise and I'm willing to be whatever you need me to be." The box inside me threatened to creak open but I maintained my controlled monotone, which seemed to only incite her more.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She shook her head and scrunched her face in irritation. "I would have at least expected some Zen monologue that you always seem to pull out of your ass."

I narrowed my eyes at her and took a calming breath. "Rose, you're upset. Maybe it's best we just drop it for now."

That did it. She jumped up off the bed and started pacing, her arms slicing through the air as she spoke.

"You've got to be kidding me! I'm already getting it from Eddie, Adrian, and now you too?! I'm not some fragile doll that's going to break if you drop me, so don't _treat_ me like one. I may be a lot of things right now but I'm not a coward." Rose swung her body in the direction of the bed again and launched that last word at me. She tilted her head with a wild look in her eyes and counted off on her fingers, "Hysterical, crazy, damaged goods, take your pick—but at least I'm not afraid to say how I feel!"

 _Coward? Afraid?_ She was throwing low blows to get a rise out of me now. Unfortunately, it was working. I stood up and walked to the foot of the bed, keeping a fair distance between us. Her arms were crossed over her chest with a rancorous look pointed to the floor beside her. Her blatant refusal to look at me was the final tipping point and the lid to that box inside me swung open.

"Rose, I will beg for forgiveness for not being there for Vasilisa when she was taken until the day I die. You're right; even with the chaos of the attack, I should have done everything in my power to get to those dorms and ensure her safety. For that, I am endlessly and undoubtedly sorry," I paused as her eyes finally rose up to meet mine. I grabbed onto the wooden frame to anchor myself and leaned forward, holding her gaze with intensity and sincerity. "But I will never apologize for loving you."

Her expression was blank, and it was impossible to gage what she was thinking. Inside I started to panic. I had lost my control and I was about to lose her again. But just when I thought she would storm out, her face softened. It wasn't as strong as the look she had worn when she first woke up on my chest, it was more like a shadow of it, just enough to remind me of the closeness we had shared. I didn't dare speak, or even breath. We just stood there looking at each other as my last words hung in the air.

She finally opened her mouth to respond, but her train of thought was interrupted as an uncontrollable shiver shimmied up her back. She closed her eyes, concentrating on what I assumed was her invisible barriers. I readied myself to do whatever I needed to do to bring her back. When she opened them, that earlier thought was completely gone, replaced with the usual cold facade.

"We should get going. I don't want to keep your friends waiting."

I nodded as she reached for her duffle bag and walked out the door towards the bathroom. The early morning light shone through the window washing away our hushed conversations along with the stale darkness. I allowed myself one moment to wonder what words were at the tip of her tongue before I pushed those thoughts aside and readied myself for the day.

* * *

 **A/N:** A couple credits need to go out. First off, the quote Dimitri read belongs to dear old F. Scott Fitzgerald from The Beautiful and the Damned.

Secondly, anyone out there watching Outlander? I recently got into it and fell in love with a scene where Jamie says a prayer over Claire as she sleeps. I know a traditional Russian prayer would have been more accurate, but this one (with one small change) fits this story so well. Translation:

God, shield my beloved.  
My wildflower.  
Preserve her from violence  
and from harm.  
In this place  
and every place.  
On this night  
and on every night.

*swoon*


	15. Chapter 15

**Ch. 15**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs: Heart of Gold - Neil Young, Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars**

When I emerged from my room Mama was already downstairs cooking enough food to feed the entire village, per usual, but it seemed everyone else was still asleep.

"Dobroye utro, Mama," I greeted.

"Dobroye utro, moy syn," she continued her diligent work over the stove as she spoke. "Did our guests sleep alright? I heard voices this morning." I hesitated, unsure how to respond and Mama turned around with a knowing look on her face.

"Everything is fine. Nothing to worry about," I brusquely replied. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked over towards me. I avoided her gaze, slightly embarrassed that she had heard us argue and slightly ashamed for keeping the truth from her. She reached up and placed her hands on either side of my face and inspected my expression.

"My son, always so strong for everyone around him. But who will be strong for you?" Her eyes held a hint of sadness as she looked at me.

I felt the familiar need to ease her worry and attempted a smile. "You, Mama. Of course."

"Ha! And don't you forget it," she pulled a rag off her shoulder and smacked me with it on the arm. "Now sit down and have something to eat."

Slowly the rest of the household trickled in and the usual morning routines proceeded. Yeva was the last to enter and she was still wearing the same scowling glare at Rose as the night before. I had learned at a very young age not to question Yeva, but that look was starting to irritate me. I could tell Rose was itching to say something so before a scene could erupt I hurried her and Eddie out to make our way to Mark and Oksana's.

Mama shoved a basket of food at me before we made it out the door, so we didn't show up empty-handed. Along our walk, Eddie pleasantly chatted with Rose keeping us distracted from the mix of emotions still lingering from our earlier dispute. However, I could see Rose wasn't completely focused on what he was saying and burning questions appeared to be building in her mind.

Eventually, her curiosity won over and she interrupted Eddie's raving about the blini we had eaten for breakfast. "What I want to know is who is this Gabe Azur guy?"

Eddie went silent and shot me a questioning look. I had given him as many details as necessary when we transported Rose, but nothing more. Even with minimal information, he understood the importance of keeping it quiet. Abe Mazur was neither someone you wanted to cross, or someone you could fully trust. We needed his help right now, but we didn't want to draw attention to that fact or let on that we were working with him. I gave Eddie a nod and he returned it, walking slightly ahead of us to give Rose and me some space.

"And what the heck is up with that? You guys have some secret language now?"

I ignored her sass and proceeded to answer her first question. "His name is Abe Mazur, but he is more well known around here as Zmey."

"Zma what?" Rose still wasn't astute to Russian terminology.

" _Zmey_. It's Russian for snake," I corrected. "He is a powerful Moroi and businessman who has his hands in deals all around the world; some legal, some...not so much." I thought about the stories I had heard growing up about Zmey breaking legs or setting fires to homes of those who didn't pay his debts. I had never witnessed his wrath and sometimes wondered if some of the rumors were actually started by him to incite fear, but I also wasn't stupid enough to discredit them. "He isn't royal but he seems to always have a hand in their pockets. He is equally respected as he is feared."

Rose was listening intently. "So, this Abe guy, he's someone you know? You just happened to have some gangster's name penciled in your black book for a rainy day?"

"Not exactly." I paused, unsure how much to divulge. Rose stared at me waiting for further explanation. "Your mother put me in contact him. After you left the academy she said he would have enough connections to track you down and find you. She arranged for me to meet with him to work out the details."

"My _mother_?" She seemed somewhat aghast that her mother associated with this sort of Moroi. I didn't blame her. I was just as surprised to hear that the straight-laced Guardian Hathaway even knew of Zmey, little less was acquainted enough to ask for a favor. I had some theories, but none seemed to add up.

"If this guy really is as hardcore as you are letting on, it doesn't seem like he'd be the type of person to just hand out favors for free." There wasn't much that got past Rose. In the field, her perceptiveness was a huge asset, but now it was causing her to lead to questions I didn't want to answer.

"He's not," I replied allusively.

 _I met him at the airstrip as instructed by Janine. The early morning fog created a hazy atmosphere, slightly skewing my visual, but I could make out his form in the distance. He was standing with three other Guardians flanking him, but I knew there were most likely others nearby. He was tall and slender like most Moroi and had a flashy air about him. He wore a pale gray fitted-suit, a blindingly white button up underneath, and adorned the ensemble with a bright teal scarf. I had seen him around Baia a few times as a child but was instructed to keep my distance. As I grew closer I felt like that small boy again, disobeying my mother by walking into the lion's den. I righted myself and remembered why I was here in the first place as the dark, mysterious Moroi reached his hand out to me._

" _Ah, you must be Belikov," he regarded me curiously. "Any relation to Olena Belikova?"_

 _I nodded taking his hand, not entirely surprised that he would know the best healer in our village and would bet that he had sent a few bent-up associates her way from time to time. "She is my mother."_

" _Well then, please give her my regards next time you speak to her. To Yeva as well. That woman is a firecracker." His words weren't unusual but the knowing look he wore left me feeling unnerved. I remained emotionless and awaited his instructions._

" _No time to waste then," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone. "Janine tells me we are hunting down a group of renegade students. My resources are at your expense and if you feel you should need more you can contact Pavel here on this phone," he pointed to the surly Guardian beside him. "It is untraceable, and since the Moroi Council will most likely be looking for you soon I would think it pertinent to stay under the radar." I mistakenly let my impassive look slip and the flash of shock in my features seeped through. Alberta had just brought up the council's request to question me mere hours ago, and he somehow already seemed to be in the know._

" _I make it a point to know everything I can about my business deals before they are underway," he read my train of thoughts easily. "Now, in terms of payment," he tossed me the phone and stroked his dark beard villainously. "It appears this mission means a great deal to you and you are risking a lot to go through with it."_

" _Yes sir," I replied sternly._

" _My services are not easy to come by and certainly aren't cheap. This is a rather large debt you will be accruing; however, someone with your particular skills could be of use to me. When our business is complete I will come to collect. Is this understood?" His ominous look sent chills down my spine and I felt like I had just made a bargain with the devil. Regardless, if that's what it took to get to my Roza I would consent._

" _I understand," I reached my hand out to seal our arrangement. A wicked smile crawled up his face as he shook my hand, and I wondered what a man with a brutal reputation like his could possibly want with me._

Luckily, before Rose could ask me any more questions we arrived at Mark and Oksana's and her attentions were diverted to our present mission. As we walked up to the front door I couldn't help but think even with the slim chances of succeeding in rescuing the princess, releasing Rose from her overbearing guilt, and clearing my name, it was possible that these would be some of the last moments I would have with Roza.

Eventually, Zmey would come for me, and then my fate would lie in the grip of the mysterious, ruthless serpent.

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac, 1940 - The Submarines, Blue Moon - Beck**

When we arrived at the quaint house, a pretty Moroi woman with strawberry blonde hair greeted us at the door. She spoke rapidly in Russian to Dimitri with a joyous smile on her face. She was speaking so fast he could hardly get a word out, but she quickly switched to English after noticing the confused looks Eddie and I wore.

"Dimitri, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" I was glad to hear her refer to us as friends rather than students or Novices. She didn't look down on us, like I had grown to expect from many Moroi, and seemed to regard us as equals. Standing there observing her I couldn't help but think something about her reminded me of Lissa.

"Oksana, this is Rose Hathaway and Eddie Castile. They are staying with my family for a short while."

"Pleased to meet you," she reached over and shook both of our hands before beckoning us inside. "My husband, Mark, is in the garden but will be joining us shortly."

Once we were all inside she offered us seats around a large wooden table and brought over a steaming pot of hot liquid. I didn't recognize the smell, but as she poured our individual cups it looked to be some sort of herbal tea. I politely took the cup from her but refrained from tasting it when I spotted the look on Eddie's face after his first sip. His expression read _liquid death_ and I immediately placed my cup back on the table. I could see Dimitri suppressing a smirk at my hesitance and presented Oksana with the basket of goodies Olena had given him on our way out.

The Moroi woman let out an excited gasp and began pouring through the basket. "Oh, thank you. I hope Olena has sent some of her famous black bread." To her delight, Oksana pulled out a loaf and insisted on warming it up for us all to enjoy. I didn't quite understand so much excitement over a loaf of bread, but hey, to each their own.

I heard the swinging of a backdoor open and a tall, broad man, presumably Mark, walked in. Dimitri rose to greet him and gestured over to us with introductions. His salt and pepper hair gave away his seniority to Oksana, but their age difference isn't what surprised me the most. He was a Dhampir.

Dimitri had told me they were a bonded couple, but I had just assumed they would both be Moroi. Sure, Dhampirs and Moroi hooking up wasn't that uncommon, but married? That was considered extremely rare and sometimes taboo to most Moroi. Eddie seemed to be confused as well but was doing a much better job at hiding it. After the introductions, the couple began preparing a snack in the kitchen, occasionally asking Dimitri about his family, work, and other normal topics of conversation. Seeing how in sync the pair was as they moved through the kitchen without needing to offer the other direction, it was easy to tell how Dimitri spotted the bond between me and Lissa.

Oksana placed a few slices of the warmed black bread on the table and insisted we enjoy while she continued in the kitchen with Mark. After the herbal tea disaster, I was still hesitant to grab anything off the table, but it looked like it was my turn to be the guinea pig as Eddie stared at me waiting for me to take a taste first. It smelled much better, I'd give it that, so I swiped a piece and took a bite before I could chicken out. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. The savory flavors melted on my tongue and I immediately wanted more. I devoured my first piece and was halfway through my second before I heard a light chuckle next to me.

"Not as frightening as the tea I see," Dimitri's thick accent languidly teased. I suppressed a sarcastic comment about the poison he deftly called 'tea' in order to maintain my polite demeanor and avoid offending our hosts. I shot him a look that said 'I'm not touching that stuff' which only seemed to amuse him more.

When everyone was finally seated at the table Dimitri's expression turned more serious and he began leading the conversation to our intended topic. Oksana was the first to join in.

"So, Rose. I hope you don't mind, but Dimka has already told us a little about your situation and what you have been going through. I must give my deepest condolences to you for the loss of your bondmate. I know that must have been unbearable for you." Her words came across as the typical 'sorry for your loss' spiel, but her knowing expression told me she really did understand, and they weren't being spoken just out of politeness.

"Thank you. It was a painful process, but that's the thing. She isn't really gone. The bond is still there." Oksana nodded as I began my telling and Mark sat there in perfect silence, absorbing all the information. I told them about everything that had happened at the academy and all of her visits since then.

"One thing I can't understand is how much stronger the bond seems to be now. Not only do we hear each other, but she can unwillingly pull thoughts and memories from my mind." As soon as the words escaped me I instantly regretted them.

"What thoughts exactly," Oksana asked. I remembered Lissa mocking my relationship with Dimitri in the alley and plucking those precious memories from my head to watch like a movie reel. As I sat there a strange sensation brushed through me that felt like light tickling in my head and a wave of heat rolling over me. The feeling was gone as soon as it came, and I chalked it up to too much black bread. I gave a nervous look to Dimitri sitting beside me and quickly averted my gaze, embarrassed by my lack of control to resist Lissa's invasion of our privacy.

"Nothing of any significance," I stammered in an attempt to change the subject. Oksana shot me a curious gaze and I could have sworn she looked over to Dimitri as well, but I was probably just reading too much into it.

As if sensing a desperate need for a change in subject, Mark finally spoke up. "And what about the spirits? How are they handling you being tied to the undead? As you have probably guessed so far, they don't take too kindly to the Strigoi." I tried to think about this for a minute. It did seem they had a stronger reaction to Lissa than me, but then when she was gone they switched sides.

"I've been trying to hold them in, but when Lissa breaks through it's harder to keep my guard up and I accidentally unleashed them on her to scare her off." He looked surprised by my response.

"Although it may seem like an easy escape at the time, you must do everything in your power not to let them out. Their initial threat may be the Strigoi, but once they turn their sights back on you, it can be very dangerous," his voice grew lower and more solemn. "When we were healed, our spirits were pulled from the land of the dead and brought back here, but a part of us never left. There is a chain, more or less, keeping you grounded in the world of the living, but the dead will keep trying to find a way to bring you back."

I heard a loud gulp next to me come from Eddie but was fixated on Mark's serious gaze. I hadn't realized my hands had started to shake until I felt strong, calloused warmth cover one. I looked down to see Dimitri's hand over mine on the table and my nerves started to settle. When I raised my sights up to his face he was regarding Oksana. "Is there anything that can help her control the spirits or prevent the princess from constantly entering her mind," Dimitri asked. I looked over to Oksana anticipating her answer, but she had a bewildered look on her face as her gaze hovered just above my head. Her eyes briefly shot down to Dimitri's hand on mine before inspecting the space above me again. I felt a little uneasy and moved my hands into my lap, causing her to refocus back on our conversation. What was that about?

"I may have something that can work as a temporary boost, so to speak. It will help you keep the spirits at bay and focus less on blocking out your bondmate." She stood up and went over to a dresser drawer in the other room. When she came back she presented me with a small, plain silver ring.

"It's charmed with Spirit magic. I've made similar trinkets in the past to help Mark with the darkness," I took it from her, examining it in my hands, "It should also keep Vasilisa from pulling you into the bond against your will and from getting a closer look at your... _secrets_." Oksana hadn't given anything away but the emphasis on that last word and the look she shot Dimitri told me she knew a lot more than she was letting on. I jumped up from my seat, suddenly feeling completely exposed and walked towards the backdoor.

"I'm sorry I just need a minute to get some fresh air." I clumsily barged through the rickety screen door, letting the cool wind banish the rising flush on my face. I took a couple deep breaths and opened my hand to look at the ring again. I wondered how something so small could provide enough power to keep Lissa's prying eyes out of my head. However, when I slid it onto my finger I instantly felt a rush of calmness and relief. It amazed me that we didn't think of something like this before. I heard the backdoor squeak open and expected Dimitri or Eddie to be waiting to calm me down, so I was surprised to see Mark standing there.

"I'm sorry," he started. "She tries not to, but sometimes she can't help it." I wasn't really sure what he was getting at.

"Uh, what do you mean?"

"Well, Spirit magic affects the users differently. Where your bondmate excelled in healing and compulsion, Oksana can see a great deal from people's auras...and their minds."

"You mean she can read minds?" I remembered the tickling feeling and the heat that spread over me during our conversation.

"It's similar to reading an aura but she can gain additional insight when she brushes their minds and pull specific information." The embarrassed flush immediately returned to my cheeks and I turned away. "She saw something between you and Dimitri before you entered the house, but your connection is much deeper than either of us realized."

"If it's okay with you I'd like to keep my sex life out of this okay?" I snapped back at him still avoiding looking in his direction. Mark seemed like a nice enough guy, but I didn't like anyone meddling in things they had no business in.

"That's not what I meant, Rose," he sounded a little uncomfortable. "Your aura has the typical signs of someone who is shadow kissed or bonded, but with an exponential amount of darkness hovering over it. What I can only assume is from the state of your bondmate. However, it shifts when Dimitri is near you, and even more so when you make contact." I turned around to face him again, thinking about the look Adrian had in our Spirit dream as he examined my aura. "You bring a lightness to each other. The darkness doesn't completely vanish, but your aura shines like the sun. It's like you are healing" I let his words sink in, still not fully comprehending them but knowing I shouldn't discount what he was telling me.

"This ring will help you with what you need for now, but don't discard the support you are already receiving from those around you. Just because you are having to close off part of your mind in this situation, doesn't mean you _have_ to close off your heart."

His words hit me harder than I thought, and I could feel salt water in my eyes starting to prick. After the events of this morning, it was clear the more time I spent with Dimitri the harder time I was having keeping my emotions concealed. I was already being torn in two directions, one where my duty to Lissa was my only focus, and the other was desperately trying to hold onto feelings that I told myself couldn't exist anymore. Now with this information that being near Dimitri could potentially help rid me of this darkness, I was even more confused.

I gained control of myself before Mark could see the turmoil storming inside me and told him we should go back inside to join the others, but something told me he already knew what was going on in my head. Spirit user or not, his perceptiveness was undeniably strong.

Eddie and Oksana were in a heated discussion when we walked in. "But you've heard of it before? Transforming the undead?" There was excitement in Eddie's voice that piqued my interest.

"Yes. From another Spirit user we met a while back," Oksana replied, looking a little worried.

Mark immediately jumped in, "This isn't something we should be talking about." He flashed a serious look at Oksana and she returned it with an equally challenging glare.

"Please," Eddie chimed back in. "If there's something out there we have to know." Oksana turned away from Mark, assumingly to answer Eddie, but she stopped her gaze at me. She wore a strange look that Yeva got sometimes. It was like she was looking past my exterior and further into me. "Those are just ramblings from an old man. Who even knows if they were true," I could hear Mark objecting in the background, but my focus was still fixated on Oksana. I felt that familiar tickle again and stared back at her as she searched my mind. My instinct should have been to turn away or tell her to stop but I wanted her to know how serious I was about finding these other Spirit users and doing everything I could to save my best friend.

She looked at me standing there next to Mark as she responded to his reproach. "If there's even a small chance, they deserve to know." He looked between us in shock before letting out an exasperated sigh.

"A Spirit user we knew a while back told us about a group that would use their powers to transform the undead," Oksana continued. "They were mostly under the radar and only a select few people knew of them, but he claimed to have seen one of them restore a Strigoi. He was growing weary in his old age and his mind was not always right, as Mark said, but he used that exact phrasing as Eddie." My mind was racing, this is exactly the type of intel we needed.

"Do you know his name? The Spirit user that restored the Moroi," Eddie inquired.

" _Her_. The Spirit user was a woman," Mark spoke up. "But no, he didn't tell us. Only the place he had seen her do it."

I finally tore my gaze from Oksana and shot Eddie a look. This wasn't a lot to go off of, but I couldn't help but feel optimistic about this new information. There was a possibility that not only was there someone out there who knew how to restore a Strigoi but had actually performed the deed themselves. A name would have been better, but a location would do. We were one step closer to finding a way to bring Lissa back and release her tortured soul.

I looked next to me at Mark and with an uncontrollable smirk growing on my face I asked, "Where?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Some new faces this chapter. Hopefully, a few of your questions have been answered. If not, all in due time. Next chapter we will hear from some of our other friends that we have been missing ;)


	16. Chapter 16

**Ch. 16**

 **Songs** \- **Havana by Camila Cabello & Young Thug, Let's Get Lost by Beck**

 **CPOV**

"Now this is my kind of party" Adrian smacked me on the back as we walked up to the remote bar. The sand was colder at night, but it had been ages since I had been on a beach and I welcomed the feeling of small flecks between my toes. I could hear waves from the high tide crashing against the shore and looked up to see a full moon hanging in the sky. It created a black and white scene from the dark water and white sand to the shadowed figures cast by the cliff sides and tree lines. The only sign of color was a soft glow from the vibrant structure we were walking towards. It gave off the feeling of an oasis, standing out from the rest of the baron beach, but instead of a sanctuary for water, it appeared to house a combination of revelry and bad decisions.

It had been a pain in the ass to get here. Once we arrived at Bodega Bay, Adrian had to go through several connections to find the right place. With its location so well contained, I started to wonder if this hidden bar was compelled to be forgotten by most. It was most likely to keep its location from Strigoi, although his contacts insisted it was well protected. Regardless of our mission, nothing was stopping Adrian from finding it. He would have taken any excuse to get out of Seattle. A day hadn't gone by since we arrived there that he didn't constantly complain. I, on the other hand, didn't mind the somber weather and towering skylines. It allowed us to go out during the day more and keep Adrian out of trouble at night when he was tempted to find, yet another, bar to "ease his trepidations".

When Rose called us with news of a lead in Sonoma County we were on the first flight to California. As we walked closer to the bar I could see an array of colorful lights spilling out from all sides accompanied by a lively Latin beat. I hated to agree with Adrian, but the sight was pretty cool. There were tall, wooden posts around the outer perimeter and one in the middle of the open bar holding up the straw roof. Patio lights hung in random crisscrossed strands along the top creating a golden glow, and brighter, colorful beams of light shot up from different corners of the space towards a sandy floor. The club held somewhere between 60 or 70 people all scattered between the bamboo bar and a designated dance area. I grabbed Adrian's arm and stopped him before we walked all the way in.

"So, you'll definitely be able to tell right? You can see if there are any Spirit users here?" He hadn't had a drink today, which I knew could hinder his abilities, but I still wasn't completely sold on this plan.

"Ozera, when are you finally going to trust me? I knew Lissa wielded Spirit magic when I met her, didn't I? It's in their auras. I'll see it. Now let's go! This place is bumpin!" He charged in with a huge grin on his face and I obligingly followed behind.

I looked around and noticed most of the people here were a mix of Moroi and Dhampir, but there were also some humans here. I didn't see any evidence that they were feeders, which made the scene even more confusing. Before I could think too much more about it, Adrian put his hand on my shoulder and whisper-yelled into my ear over the music.

"I think we should split up, cover more ground. Just try to keep the questions vague and don't give away too many details about yourself. I'll let you know if I see anything." I nodded, and he headed on to the dancefloor in the middle of a group of California Blondes in skimpy bikinis. I shook my head at his first choice of possible suspects.

I walked over to the bar and took a seat, occasionally checking in on Adrian out of the corner of my eye. A waitress walked by him a couple times to offer him a drink, but he politely turned it down. Satisfied he wouldn't be getting into trouble anytime soon I started to look around at the other people here. I could see a few couples dancing and a flash of pale blonde hair whipping around as the girl's partner spun her in circles. I smirked to myself, thinking Lissa would be the only one that could get me out there to do that. I quickly averted my gaze to avoid familiar distraction and began surveying the other side of the room.

"Hey there blue eyes," a voice interrupted my scanning and I turned around to see who it was. There was a pretty brunette girl leaning on the bar next to me with a flirtatious grin on her face. I gave her a tight smile and chin jut in response.

"That your boyfriend over there," she asked, pointing to Adrian who was now shirtless surrounded by five Moroi girls dancing and laughing. I rolled my eyes and ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "No. Not sure if I would even use the term _friend_ right now." I turned back towards the bar and took a sip of water from the glass I had ordered.

"Good. I was hoping you would say that," she placed a hand on my arm and bit her lip. Damn, this girl was a bit desperate. I was about to remove my arm and walk away but remembered I needed to get information. If she wanted to talk to me enough, maybe she could give me something I could use. I tried my best to sound interested and offered her a seat next to me.

"So, how did you hear about this place?" Seeing how hard it was for us to find it, I figured other people here either had a personal invitation or knew the owner.

"I'm Maya," she purred. Not exactly what I asked, but ok.

"Uh, hey Maya," I responded, trying to hide my annoyance. "Do you know the host tonight?" I was hoping the person hosting this party would know a little about his guests or would have a list at the very least.

"You wana dance?" This girl was starting to get on my nerves.

"Not really, no." She looked at the bartender and held up two fingers with a wink. He came back with two slim shot glasses filled with some sort of pink liquid. It looked like the same stuff all the waitresses were carrying around. Maya presented one to me and I shook my head.

"Aw come on. If you're not going to dance, at least have one drink with me," she whined and stuck out a pouty lip. I was almost at my breaking point with this chick and was about ready to give up. I thought about it for a second though. She looked like she had already had a few drinks and I started to think maybe after one or two more she would be more inclined to share some actual information with me. If it would get us one step closer to helping Lissa, I couldn't back down now. I examined the pink liquid in front of me again and figured something that girly looking couldn't really be that strong anyways. I took it from her hand and lifted it to cheers.

"Bottoms up. Here's to you Liss," I toasted. She smiled under the brim of her shot and took a small sip watching me as I downed the whole thing.

The warm liquid slid down my throat and coated my insides with a keen burn. I expected it to taste like some sort of fruity liquor but was left with a floral taste in my mouth; almost what I would assume a rose to taste like. I smacked my tongue and took a sip of my water to try and rid the taste from my mouth.

"What was that," I turned to look at Maya, but her figure was blurred, and my head felt numb.

"Who's Liss? Should I be jealous?"

"Who?" The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. I shook my head, trying to jog my memory.

"Come on blue eyes. Let's dance." Her tan fingers wrapped around my arm and attempted to pull me from my seat. I started to say no again, but the words escaped me. Then my thoughts escaped me. My vision settled, and I looked around at the swaying bodies scattered throughout the room. I tried to remember why I was here. Wasn't there something important I was supposed to do?

I looked over to see a beautiful brunette girl smiling at me, nodding towards the dance floor. I stood up and followed her. Her hair smelled like coconuts and oranges as she whipped it around her shoulders and I smiled back at her. The music pulsed into my chest and through my fingertips. I gave into the relaxing rhythm and let the ambiance of the room surround me, completely foregoing any previous thoughts I might have had.

* * *

 **APOV**

 **Song: Season of the Witch by Donovan**

"So how did you hear about this place, I don't think I've seen you around here before," I questioned one of the girls dancing. Three of them were named Lindsey and it was becoming harder to keep track the more they moved around me.

"Well, then you must not have been looking hard enough," she giggled.

"Oh, I think I would have remembered those legs," I winked in return. She laughed and whispered something to Lindsey #2...or was she #3? I had been flinging casual questions at them for the past ten minutes and had yet to receive a direct response from anyone. I looked up to the bar to see Ozera talking to a fine ass brunette and hoped he was having better luck. The blaring music and bright colors were making auras slightly difficult to read, but I could see the gist of some here and there. The waitress came by for what seemed like the fifth time to offer me one of those pink drinks. The only people that seemed to be turning them down were the male Dhampirs casually lining the outer perimeter; poor guys never got to have any fun.

When I told her no thank you, again, she touched my arm and asked, "Are you sure honey? They're a dream." I hadn't noticed before, but when her skin made contact with mine it was easier to read her aura. There was something off about it as she spoke. Something deceptive.

"Oh really? Well, in that case, hand it over." She smiled brightly and took one of the dainty glasses off her tray. I took it from her and smiled. When she walked away to offer another patron one of her dodgy concoctions, I examined the contents of my glass. It didn't smell like alcohol or seem to have any traces of booze at all. It almost smelled like...rose water. Why the hell was she offering me rose water?

I looked around and noticed every waitress was carrying a similar tray filled with only small pink shots. I saw a young Moroi woman grab one of them and focused my energy on her aura. As she gulped it down her entire aura became surrounded by a light pink haze. I could still see the original tells of herself, the light colors indicating she was Moroi and hints of blue and green hinting at her specialization and temperament, but everything seemed to be clouded by that rosy fog. I made my way over to her and placed the pink shot on another waitress' tray before tapping the woman on the shoulder.

"Well hello there. You look far too beautiful to be standing here alone. What's your name sweetheart," I was laying it on thick, but she looked pretty out of it and was enjoying my compliments.

"Name? Hmmm what's in a name," she slurred while swaying side to side and slowly lifting her hands in the air. I grabbed her hands above us and moved along with her to give the impression we were just dancing. I looked deep into her eyes and forced out some compulsion into my next question. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

It took her a second to come up with an answer, but she finally slipped past the haze and responded. "Caroline Drozdov. I came with some friends. They were invited."

"Invited by who?"

"I'm not sure. They said he threw the best parties and had an exclusive invitation," she replied robotically.

"Where are your friends," I smiled to slowly ease her out of my compulsion as she pointed to a small group of Moroi girls standing at the back. "Thanks for the dance sweetheart." The rose haze returned back to her aura and she smiled lazily as she continued her swaying movements. It looked like our generous host was slipping these guests a little earth magic in the form of rose water. Not exactly _illegal_ , but impressive nonetheless. Whoever he was, he either had mass amounts of skill or was very, _very_ rich to afford such a charm.

I turned back to the bar, ready to grab Ozera and head over to our new targets, but he wasn't there. I skimmed the area and started to worry when I didn't see his usual aura stand out. Just before I started to panic, I spotted someone else familiar. That exotic brunette he had been talking to earlier. She was spinning in circles blocking my view from her dance partner. I started to move through the crowd again to get a better look and when I finally saw who she was dancing with I almost had to pick my jaw up off the ground.

Christian had his hands on her hips with a mesmerized look on his face as the couple shuffled to the beat. I knew all the guy ever thought about was Lissa, so I didn't even need to check for that pink cloud to know that he was under some kind of spell. Even though sober, he wouldn't find any part of this amusing, I suddenly found it extremely hard to suppress a laugh.

I walked over to him and cleared my throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow my friend for a moment."

"Why don't you both stay? The more the merrier," the tan beauty flashed me a flirtatious wink.

"As tempting as that sounds. We'll have to take a rain check," I grabbed Christian and led him towards the bar, sparing one last glance over my shoulder at that gorgeous creature. "Damn Chris, you sure do know how to pick 'em umph—" I stumbled into Christian's back and realized we had just walked straight into a Goliath-sized Guardian.

"Sorry about that, man." I shifted to walk around him, and he sidestepped in front of us again.

"You need to come with me. Now," his Russian accent was thick and serious. I started to argue with him but thought better of messing with a guy twice our size and held up my hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright. No need for hostility. We're all friends here." He grunted and grabbed Christian's shoulder to lead him towards the back of the club. Christian's spacey smile and stumbled steps made him appear drunk, but I had a feeling this Guardian knew exactly what was up with him.

When we reached a rear corner, there was a lone Moroi seated at a table with another giant Guardian behind him. I did a quick look over the guy sitting down and had to admit—he had style. His dark hair and beard were neatly trimmed, he wore a white linen suit that was somehow still perfectly ironed despite the material, and a bright orange shirt underneath to accompany it. His gold earrings gave his look a Havana Pirate vibe and I wondered for a second why I never tried out earrings, but the look in the Moroi's eyes suddenly sent chills down my spine. This guy was important. This guy was dangerous.

"So, you must be the two young men asking all the questions about my bar." I nervously scratched the back of my head trying to think of how to explain ourselves when Ozera started busting out laughing. He was laughing so hard that I thought he would keel over any minute.

"I'm sorry sir. It appears my friend has had one too many of your special libations," I hastily replied to ease the tension. I was surprised to see that Christian's hysterics amused this man, rather than annoy him.

"Pavel," the Moroi man looked towards the surly Guardian that brought us here and held up one finger while looking at Christian. Pavel nodded and walked over to the bar. "And you didn't partake in any…'libations'," he asked me.

"Drew the short straw tonight. Someone had to be DD," I lied.

He lifted an eyebrow at my response and said, "That, I find hard to believe." I gulped under his stare until he smiled and looked over to someone approaching behind us. "Ah, Pavel. Thank you." He took a glass of some fizzing liquid and presented it to Christian. "Drink."

Ozera still had that goofy smile plastered on his face but took the bubbling drink and sipped it. After one good gulp, his eyes widened and I could see the rose cloud start to dissipate. He scratched his head and looked at the man in front of us, then over to me, and back to the man again.

"What the hell did you do to me? And why do I smell like a Piña colada?" Ozera was fuming.

The mysterious Moroi threw his head back and let out a loud laugh that caused me to jump. "That would probably be Maya. A feisty one, isn't she?"

Christian was still completely confused and not letting up. "I'm sorry, but who the hell are you?"

"Ah apologies, where are my manners? My name is Ibrahim Mazur, but you can call me Abe." I tried to hide the shock on my face and if my fear wasn't already rising before, it was boiling over now. Abe Mazur, also known as Zmey, was someone you did NOT want to fuck with. I frequented many of his casinos and bars in Europe and had heard the stories of his more... _brutal_ business dealings. If we were on his radar, we were in some serious trouble. He gave me a knowing look, obviously noticing my recognition and offered us a seat at the table.

"So, this is your place," it came out as more of a statement than a question, but I was treading on dangerous waters and wasn't sure where to start.

"Yes, one of many," Zmey smiled proudly. "Patrons come here to rid themselves of their inhibitions and worries—while enjoying the splendid views of course," he added as he leaned around us admiring one of the dancing beauties. "But don't worry Mr. Ivashkov, it's all good clean fun and we make sure everyone leaves here with a clear mind." I sat there dumbfounded, my jaw wordlessly flopping at his reply. "Yes, I know who you are. You as well Mr. Ozera."

Christian sat up a little taller, skeptical of the Turkish mobster. "And how is it you came to find that out?" I kicked Christian under the table at his overzealous tone and he let out a muffled yelp.

"Let's just say we have a certain Russian in common," Zmey replied illusively as he stroked his dark beard. This guy was giving off serious James Bond villain vibes.

"What is it we can do for you, Mr. Mazur?" I tried my best to keep my voice steady even though I felt like my whole body was trembling.

"Abe, please." He smiled at us, trying to appear more friendly, and I nodded in response. "And actually, it's what I can do for you. I understand there is someone you are looking for? I believe I can help you with that." Christian and I simultaneously shot each other a shocked look.

"Eva, dear. Won't you please join us?" He motioned behind us and we both turned to see a Moroi girl walking towards the table. I hadn't seen her at the club before and wasn't sure when she arrived. She had fiery red hair that was a mix of curly and wavy with blue streaks intermingled. It looked impossible to control, which may have been a telltale sign of her personality. Eva was shorter than most Moroi but wore a look that said, 'don't mess with me'. I had to admit, the little fireball kind of reminded me of Rose, but when I took a closer look at her I had to pick my jaw up off the ground for the second time tonight. Away from all the lights, music, and magical hazes, her aura was clear as day. She was a Spirit user.

* * *

 **A/N** : Oh boys, what have you gotten yourselves into…It's been way too long since we've heard from them. Hope y'all enjoyed their little adventure to Havana nightlife. "Half of my heart is in Montana-ooh-na-na". Haha okay, I'll stop.

So, as you can tell from previous chapters, I get a kick out of creating renditions of scenes straight out of the original series. We saw the role reversal Tent Scene a couple chapters ago, and I'll be revealing another one of these next chapter. If anyone can guess as to which scene it will be, I may be inclined to send you a little sneak-peek treat 😊. Feel free to leave your guesses in the reviews or PM me!


	17. Chapter 17

**Ch. 17**

 **Songs: Dearly Departed - Shakey Graves, Trouble - Cage the Elephant, If I Had a Heart - Fever Ray, Love Lockdown – Glass Animals**

 **RPOV:**

"Dead," I yelled as I pinned Eddie to the mat. He groaned underneath me after being defeated for the third time in a row.

"Well done Rose," Dimitri complimented from the sidelines. He had been observing us and working on our technique for the past couple of hours. "Castile, she's reading your moves before you make them. You have a small tell when you are about to attack from your left." Dimitri had this incredible talent for sounding professional yet sincere as he coached us; something I remembered from our training sessions back at the academy. He helped Eddie up and corrected his stance as I a grabbed a swig of water.

"Rose you can start your cooldown while Castile finishes his reps from this morning." I nodded, still a little out of breath, and took a seat on the mats stretching my legs out in front of me. The two finished up their conversation before Eddie headed over to the weights on the other side of the gym.

"Thanks, Guardian Belikov," he called out.

"No problem. And Eddie…" Dimitri replied. "We're not at the academy anymore. No need for formalities here." Eddie smiled, genuinely appreciative and grabbed one of the 50 lb dumbbells to finish his weight training.

"Who knew the serious Guardian Belikov could be such a softy," I teased, drawling his name in my best attempt at a Russian accent. He let out an amused huff and shook his head, pretending my comments had zero merits. Dimitri sat down across from me and joined me in my stretches. I reached out to touch my toes and saw his eyes wander to my right hand.

"How's it working?" He motioned to the silver ring on my middle finger.

"Great actually." It had been a couple days since we visited Mark and Oksana and my mood had exponentially improved. I was starting to gain a small piece of my old self back a little more every day. "I feel like I have more energy and I'm not constantly pushing my limits to block everything out," I told him as I inspected the silver trinket.

His eyes looked over to Eddie in the corner for a second before returning back to his task at hand. I could tell there was something he wanted to say, but he was hesitant to voice it. "Something on your mind, Comrade?"

He gave me that look he always did when I guessed something he was trying to keep hidden. Understandably, he was still a little thrown off when I called him out, seeing how hard he worked to keep up his passive facade, but as long as we'd known one another we always seemed to know what the other was truly feeling without having to voice it. He still seemed slightly hesitant, so I lifted my eyebrows to say: _well, out with it_.

"Before we left, Oksana told me I should ask you about the other things going on with the bond you haven't shared. She said you may not want to divulge it in front of strangers, but it would be good to talk about it with someone you trust." Dimitri swallowed, and I could see worry and hope that he was still one of those people I could entrust with my secrets.

Since we arrived in Baia it was apparent the damage I had caused to our unyielding ability to trust one another and now that I had a clear head we were slowly working on rebuilding that part of our relationship. As much as I wanted to keep those parts of me still buried deep within, I wanted Dimitri to know I trusted him more.

"You know how I described that Lissa was able to pull memories from my head, ones I was trying to hide?" He nodded. "Well, they were about you." His eyes widened the tiniest bit, but he remained composed and observant.

"She knows about us. I tried to keep it from her, but she saw memories of us...together," I put delicately. "I thought if I closed my heart off to everyone, I could keep it all hidden from even her. But I was wrong. If she can not only see what I'm thinking but pull out things from my past too there's no telling what she will try to use against me to get what she wants." I looked away from him, ashamed of being so weak and letting her get into my mind.

"I'm sorry you have to see her this way," Dimitri's deep voice soothed me. I looked over to see concern written all over him and Mark's words echoed in my mind.

 _This ring will help you with what you need for now, but don't discard the support you are already receiving from those around you._

"It's not just that," I whispered. "I feel things stronger than before."

"How so," he questioned.

"It's like when I'm pulled into the bond, I'm not just witnessing her...I _am_ her. It's not all the time, maybe only when she wants me to, but when she was talking to that Moroi I felt things I never have before. I _wanted_ her to bite him. I wanted her to taste his blood. The same thing happened when she was outside Guerva. I felt like I was ready to rip someone's head off. And sometimes those feelings don't leave me right away. I can feel them lingering and trying to hold on to me." I rubbed my hands along my shivering arms as the disturbing memories spilled out. I averted my gaze to the floor this time, afraid of seeing Dimitri wear the same disgusted look Eddie had worn in the hotel.

"Rose, look at me," the seriousness in his voice caused me to immediately whip my head up. He spoke slowly and resolutely, making sure every word sank in. "That isn't you. It's dark magic. She won't control you. I won't let her." Dimitri's words melted into me and filled me with something I hadn't felt in so long I almost didn't recognize it. As much as I wanted to protect Lissa and keep her safe, the twisted, pitiless version of her terrified me. But watching this Russian god speak with complete and absolute confidence—in that moment, I believed he could protect me from anything even with just his fearless words. In that moment, I felt completely safe.

Dimitri's eyes flicked past me to check on Eddie and noticing he was wrapping up he moved to stand. He offered me his hand and as I took it to rise he leaned in, speaking just above a whisper, "Thank you for telling me, Rose."

I gave him a small smile and nodded just as Eddie walked over to join us. "So, you think Sonya's gone to work yet," Eddie nervously laughed. We had finally met Dimitri's very pregnant, very angry older sister. She had been at work the first few times I was at the house but had been at their home more often the last couple of days. All I knew was if being pregnant made you that pissy all the time, there was just one more reason I never wanted to conceive. We had been spending as much time at the gym as possible to give her some space and avoid any misappropriated backlash.

Dimitri looked up at the rusted clock hanging on the wall and responded, "Most likely. We should get going anyways if we want any resemblance of a hot shower."

Eddie started jogging backward toward the door. While still facing us he called out, "First dibs on shower!"

I let out a groan in protest. "Fine! But next time we are betting winning matches on first dibs." Eddie rolled his eyes and we all made our way to the Belikova home.

/

I scrunched my brows as I studied the cards in my hand, occasionally looking over them at my opponent. I let him sweat it out one more moment before finally saying, "Go fish!"

Paul giggled and shuffled the pile on the floor around before plucking out his card of choice. His face lit up with excitement as he pulled the matching pair out of his palm and placed it on the floor in front of him. "Your turn," he replied, and we continued our routine. The two of us were splayed out on the living room floor with Eddie and Vika on the couch behind us pleasantly chatting about school and training. Karolina and Olena were in the kitchen preparing dinner and Yeva had yet to rear her head—thank god.

I reached into the pile to grab another card and looked over to see Dimitri at the kitchen table with a tiny spoon and jar in hand, speaking excitedly in Russian as he fed Karo's baby. I bit my lip, suppressing a laugh seeing him try his best to keep as much of the baby food in Zoya's mouth and off her face.

I focused back on the nail-biting game at hand, but became distracted by Paul's demeanor. I could tell he was enjoying our game and seemed pleasant enough, but he wasn't as spirited as his usual self. When he asked me to play cards with him, I half expected it to be an excuse to drill me with more questions, but he had been relatively quiet so far. I caught a glimpse of the same look Dimitri had worn in the gym and recognized that there was something Paul was hiding. It was astounding the number of similarities between the two of them and I couldn't help but picture Dimitri in this same room at his age, pouring through another western novel. I decided to try the same tactics as I did with his uncle, testing out the waters of how alike they truly were.

"What's on your mind little man?" He shot me a look that said he did _not_ like being called little, but it quickly faded to something more somber. He let out a small huff and replied, "It's complicated."

I held in another giggle threatening to escape and cleared my throat to avoid offending him. "Well, Paul in case you haven't noticed 'complicated' is my middle name."

"It is? That's a strange middle name," he replied with a confused look pointed at me. I heard Eddie chuckle from behind me and shook my head. "It just means that I can probably relate," I explained. "So, spill."

He still wasn't fully convinced but his desire to get his worries off his chest won out. "It's Marina," he heavily sighed.

"Who's that? You guys have _another_ sister," I teased.

"No!" Paul exclaimed with a disgusted look on his face. "She's in my class."

"Ah, I see. And what's wrong with Marina?"

"Nothing's wrong with her. She's perfect. She's the most beautiful girl in class and she is heaven." His dreamy look was so adorable I couldn't help but smile. "I'm in love and she doesn't even know I exist. It's torture," he groaned.

"Well, why don't you talk to her. Tell her how you feel?" His face shot up and he stared at me like I had two heads. "Are you _crazy_?! Didn't you hear what I said? She's the most beautiful girl in class!"

"If that's really the case, then you should definitely tell her." A frown formed on his face and he looked like he was about done with this conversation. "Girls, especially the pretty ones, like a guy with confidence. They want someone who's not afraid to say what they feel. Just walk right up to her like you own the room and make her see how lucky she would be to have a guy like you."

Paul thought about this for a second and rubbed his chin in concentration. "And she'll like that? She'll think I'm cool?"

"Definitely. There's nothing cooler than confidence. Just be honest with her," I told him. A cheerful smile spread across his cheeks and his mood exponentially lightened.

"Thanks, Rose. Maybe your middle name really _is_ complicated." We both laughed, and I picked up another card off the ground replying,"You got that right, kid."

"Hey, Rose?" There was that slight hesitancy in his voice again.

"What's up?" I acknowledged his questioning tone while keeping my focus on my cards.

"Have you ever been in love?"

My heart stopped. I felt the color from my cheeks drain and a stone lump form in my throat.

"Someone as pretty and brave as you must have been in love tons of times." I looked over the top of my cards to see him smiling at me, but I couldn't return his contented gaze. My palms started to sweat so I put my cards down on the floor, while Paul laid there waiting for an answer.

"Just once," I finally managed to croak out, folding my arms underneath me.

"Wow, really? He must have been a huge badass," Paul gawked.

"Paul, watch your language. Just because you say it in English doesn't mean it's okay," Vika admonished him. He rolled his eyes at her and turned his attention back to me. He looked at me expectantly again and I just nodded in response. In that perceptive way of his, he noticed my abrupt change of mood and became much more serious than a 10-year-old should.

"Did he...did he die?" It wasn't unexpected for our kind to die at an early age; actually, it was more common than not, given our line of work, so it wasn't surprising that this was the first conclusion he came to.

"No," I replied softly. "But our love did." I had used up all my tears the day Lissa was taken. There were days after I lost her where my painful sobs turned into ash and dust as there was nothing left for my body to give. But now, I thought if there were any left, those pearly beads would spill out until they filled the ocean as I thought about my lost love. Paul lay there quietly for a moment, letting my morose words hang in the air before pulling his legs around and shuffling to a seated position. His shadow hovered over me, encasing me in the same darkness I once reveled in.

"Love doesn't die, Roza," hearing my Russian name was like a magnet, pulling my gaze from the floor to finally meet his. "It lives forever, within you. In here," he moved his hand from his lap and pointed to the place in my chest where my cold heart resided. Mark's words echoed in my mind once again:

 _Just because you are having to close off part of your mind...doesn't mean you have to close off your heart._

I knew there was truth in what they were both telling me, but how could I open my heart and still keep my promise to Lissa? Lissa.

 _She comes first. Lissa comes first._

I shot up from the ground in one swift movement and bolted out of the room and up the stairs, taking two at a time. My heart was pounding, and my mind was racing. Dimitri's room wreaked of his musky scent and it suddenly felt small—too small. In a desperate attempt to calm down I decided a cold shower would help clear my head, even if I had just taken one not more than an hour ago. I automatically slipped out of my shoes and tore off my jacket as the conversation between me and Paul repeated on a loop in my mind. I absentmindedly began taking off all my jewelry, starting with the Nazar around my neck. _Love doesn't die, Roza._ I frantically unhooked the Dragomir chotki Lissa had given me at Christmas, another grim reminder of my promise to her. _It lives forever, within you. In here._ I placed my hand on my chest, trying to feel the beat of my heart before ridding myself of the last small piece of jewelry. What if Paul was right? What if those feelings never left me?

Suddenly, I heard a metallic clamber on the bedside table pulling me from my panic attack. A spec of light caught something and pulled my focus to it. I could see a small silver circle slowly spinning on the mahogany wood surface at an eerily slow pace. I immediately shot my gaze to my right hand and frantically clutched the space where Oksana's ring used to reside. The swirling sound of metal against wood stalled to a painfully slow pace and everything in that moment seemed to match it. I reached my hand out towards it, feeling my blood turn to ice under my skin as the ring finally stopped spinning and shuddered to a still. I could almost feel it's cool surface brush my fingertips, but it was just out of reach. My body jolted and propelled back, my face shooting up to the ceiling as my mind was pulled from my own.

A long sigh hissed out of my mouth as Lissa tilted her head from the ceiling to straight ahead. _There you arrrreee_ : her thoughts rang through the bond. The part of me that was desperate to get away was quickly being taken over and replaced by a longing to stay. _I've missed you, Rose_.

In our mind, her sweet voice sounded like it did before the attack. No longer tainted by the evil demon that had corrupted her soul. "I missed you Lissa," I said aloud.

"Hmmm," she hummed, pleased by my response. "Stay with me Rose. Find me. Join me. You can be so much more." A sickening feeling rolled through me as the familiar words slipped off her tongue. Her allusions shattered with every decayed word she spoke. The bond revealed my disdain without needing to voice it aloud, but to my surprise, Lissa remained completely calm. Rather than exploding or regarding me with annoyance, like she had before, she laughed revealing a sense that there was something she knew that I didn't.

I took in our surroundings for the first time and noticed we were in another extravagant bedroom, slightly different from the last one. We had been facing an open window framing a black sky, but Lissa turned our body in the other direction to reveal an entirely new scene. There was a pale shirtless man sitting in a gold plush chair with a dazed look on his face. As we walked closer to him I could smell that he was human. He looked drunk, his head lobbing from side to side, but the usual stench of alcohol exuding from him was missing.

Lissa rushed us to him with incredible speed and took a deep inhale, our face inches away from his. The savory scent flowed through me and my mouth started to water. "Doesn't he smell delectable?"

I tried to fight back. To push the desire to indulge away, but it was becoming completely overbearing. "Let me show you." Without warning, she grabbed him by the hair, yanked his head to the side, and sank her teeth into his neck. I expected a revolting taste of rust and death to ripple across our tongue—but I was wrong. So wrong. Sweet, resplendent power flooded my mouth...and I wanted more. Gulp after gluttonous gulp fueled the fire building within me and I felt like it could burn down entire cities. I gasped as the blood filled our veins, sending shockwaves through my entire body. I had never felt more powerful than I did in that moment. His blood was mine. He was mine. The _world_ was mine.

The waves of blood slowed to a dull stream until eventually, it dried up to nothing. His warm body turned cold and slid limply out of our hands. Lissa licked our lips, savoring the last remains of insatiable delight and I felt left wanting. _You could be so much more._ Her whispered thoughts sang through the bond again and her grip on me finally subsided.

I felt someone jolt me by the shoulders and was pulled from the vision. I think someone said my name, but my mind was still fuzzy. I looked down at the hands in my lap as I sat on the bed, recognizing them as my own and started to become aware of my surroundings again. I could still taste the human's blood on my tongue and closed my eyes as I tilted my head back, remembering the sweet, succulent warmth as it cascaded down my throat. It poured power into me as it flowed through my veins, making me feel strong...empowered...invincible.

"Roza," it came out as more of a question than an acknowledgment. I turned towards the voice to see Dimitri's tall frame sitting beside me. I greedily raked my eyes over his gorgeous body, taking in his perfectly sculpted muscles. I slowly traced my eyes from his strong hand up his right arm until my sights rested on his chest. I was entranced by its heaving movement as he breathed in and out and raised my hand to touch it. When I placed my hand on him he covered it with his own and softly asked, "Rose, are you alright?"

I could feel his heartbeat under my touch and felt intense craving coursing through my entire body. His warm blood pulsing under his skin called to me and I needed a release. I needed _him_.

I gripped his shirt in my hand and pulled him to me with impassioned force. I felt his shoulders tense in immediate reaction to my aggressive ploy, but he quickly melted into my kiss, just as the human did under Lissa's bite. My body hummed with excitement as I realized his inability to resist me. I was hungry for more, the need for total control driving me forward. Our mouths crashed together; lips, tongues, teeth fighting for dominance. I released my hold on his shirt, allowing him to pull it over his head in one swift movement. He tangled his hands in my hair as I savagely raked my nails down his back. A light hiss escaped his lips and I smothered it with my own, curving my body into his.

Our time together in the cabin had been passionate, but it was nothing like this. That night was full of affection and adoration, a true expression of love. This was something else. It was pure lust. Hunger. Desperation.

I pulled us down to the bed, surprising Dimitri with my forcefulness as he fell on top of me. I vigorously latched on to every part of his body I could find, pulling him closer and closer to me until there was no space between us. I could feel a baritone groan rumble in his chest as I deepened our kiss and pulled at his soft hair. His body's reaction sparked the earlier desire for dominance and I flipped him over, straddling his waist. Our frenzied entanglement was more resembling sparring than it was love-making.

My loose hair created a lush blanket of waves over us as I leaned down towards his neck. I greedily ravaged his pulse point, kissing and nibbling the same spot I had just seen Lissa satiate through the bond. I bit down harder, remembering the feeling of that man's exquisite blood rushing into her mouth. Dimitri let out a troubled grunt in response and his body tensed up.

I loosened my clutch on him to make a move for my intruding shirt, giving him the opportunity to slightly pull away. My eyes were still fixated on his perfect body when he spoke, "Rose, are you sure about this? Is everything—" I interrupted his breathy sentiment.

"Shh. No talking." I commanded. I reached back down for him, but his reflexes were quick, and he flipped us over again, holding a firm position above me.

"Rose." His voice was sterner this time and less clouded by want. "What," I snapped back. Somewhat irritated I finally looked up to him. I felt like I was about ready to pounce again but with one look at his face, I was stunned still.

His dark eyes still held the same gleam of yearning and lust that mine had, but underneath there was more. I could see his deep, undying love for me in that moment combined with concern and endearment. The hunger that had temporarily consumed me began to dissolve under his loving gaze and my eyes immediately welled up.

Dimitri brushed away an escaped tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb and in one fluid movement he pulled me up into his lap, wrapping his arms around me. I buried my head in his chest as traitorous tears spilled from my eyes. I felt shame and disgust for letting the bloodlust completely take over me, and for how I had tried to use Dimitri as a means for some twisted form of empowerment. He continued to hold me tightly against him as I cried, soothingly whispering Russian phrases to me as he gently brushed my hair.

I felt our bodies lean slightly away from the bed as he reached for something. He righted our position and his hand came down to mine, carefully slipping the spirit ring back onto my finger. I felt the ping of its magic alleviate any lingering feelings Lissa had left me with—but was still too ashamed to look Dimitri in the eyes.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well...that escalated quickly. Thanks for the guesses out there! As you can see this chapter has a new take on the Lust Charm Scene—or in this case, bloodlust charm.

Other than moments with our favorite couple, I also really enjoy creating these mini Romitri scenes through Paul. Nothing romantic (obviously, he's a child) but showing the similarities between him and his uncle and his ability to give Rose advice beyond his age gives her another perspective.

Lastly, I've been dying to use that Love Lockdown cover for a love/lust scene, so I'm super pumped about being able to cast it here. Hope you enjoyed the chapter...it was a doozy. Guest reader Sky, you asked me for an extra long update a while back so hopefully, this does the trick ;). Thanks for your reviews!


	18. Chapter 18

**Ch. 18**

 **EPOV**

 **Songs: Beautiful War by Kings of Leon, Trouble with Boys by David Bazan**

Watching Rose and Dimitri spar was like nothing I had ever seen. It was like they were trapped in a deadly dance specifically choreographed for the two of them. Each fluid strike was met with an equally swift block as if their limbs were magnets, attracting and repelling unconditionally. I wondered if I would ever be that good. I knew my skills were sharp. I had worked my entire life to make sure of it and had proven my abilities in a fight against our enemy. But seeing them circle each other in their lethal tango made me feel a combination of awe and envy.

I had already learned a lot from Belikov from the short time we had been here. He was an unbelievable instructor, no doubt a direct result of Rose's massive improvement. But I couldn't chalk it up to just that. Even as kids we could all see her raw power and massive potential. I knew one day she would be the best. A warrior goddess among us mortal men, falling in line and occasionally even surpassing the Russian god.

Since our visit to Dimitri's friends' her old self had started to shine through and I could see her coming back to us, but after her brief interaction with Paul, something changed. I had seen her act like this before. After Mason passed we were all emotional wrecks, losing someone that important to you could do that, but Rose shut herself off from the world. It was completely unlike her and I was worried she would retreat back to that depressed phase. I tried not to eavesdrop on her and Paul's hushed conversation, but hearing even the mention of love sucked me in. I remember what it was like at his age.

Unrequited love? Been there, done that. But back then, love looked like red curls, freckles, and a shit-eating grin that had a way of making me fall harder each time I saw it.

Paul's words were meant to be reassuring. Despite his young age, he knew a thing or two about love. But they caused Rose to flee from the scene and barricade herself in Dimitri's room. Belikov shot me a questioning glance and I hoped my subtle look in return was enough for him to understand that she needed him. He hadn't told me about them and was so good at keeping emotions hidden from his face, Guardians were trained to be professional liars after all, but I was able to figure it out eventually. Not to discredit his stoic abilities, but as someone who had spent a lifetime keeping secrets and hiding my true feelings, I had grown accustomed to recognizing the familiar tells.

I had seen hints here and there at the academy and that night in the alley when Rose collapsed only confirmed my suspicions. His orders were frantic, and his voice was full of worry as he clutched onto her unconscious form, scrambling to find a way to keep her safe.

The other night in the kitchen, there was a similar spec of that same worry and his sisters seemed to notice it as well. Karolina rushed over to him and grabbed baby Zoya while simultaneously telling him, "I got this, go." That was all he needed and immediately bolted from the room at amazing speed after her. I don't think I have ever seen him move faster, even against the Strigoi, than when he thought Rose was in trouble.

I'm not entirely sure what happened up there, but Rose didn't come down for dinner, which anyone that knew her could tell you was extremely rare, and she seemed to have a storm cloud following her around since then. Well, except for here—in the gym. They had been sparring this single match for almost an hour straight and it was starting to wear on both of them. I would have thought their moves would become sloppy by now, but their perfect form pressed on.

Fuck, they were good.

Finally, Belikov found a way to trip her up and as she stumbled he landed on top of her with his full body weight, pinning her for the kill. I shamelessly wondered what it felt like to be underneath him that way with their chests pressed firmly against one another. I knew he was Rose's and only her's, but the man was gorgeous and hey, I'm only human.

They seemed to be in a trance, forgetting they had an audience, so I politely reminded them. "About friggin time. I was wondering if I was going to have to stage a surprise attack and knock you on your ass Hathaway." Rose smirked and allowed Dimitri to pull her up off the ground. Now that the fight was over she shied away from his touch and when he gave her a few pointers she avoided his gaze and responded in her "professional" tone, which irked the shit out of me.

I attempted to lighten her mood again, "Well, I guess this means you're not getting first shower." She tried lifting one of her eyebrows at me; how was she still so terrible at that? "Is that a challenge Castile?"

"After that epic battle? It would hardly be fair," I teased. She huffed in response. I leaned in, pushing my forehead to hers and gave her a mischievous smile. "But tomorrow, you're on." She let out a short laugh and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dimitri look up at the sound. I swear, it was like he lived for those moments of Rose's uncensored happiness. She turned around to grab her things and Dimitri dropped his gaze back down to his duffel. I wouldn't say he was avoiding her, but it was like he was afraid of showing her too much of himself and scaring her off.

On the walk back, Dimitri stayed ahead of us a few yards with his phone glued to his ear. Zmey, most likely. He had been keeping in touch with him, and me with Adrian. We gave Rose the minimum amount of information to keep her in the loop, but not the full extent until we knew how well Oksana's ring was working. To say it was driving her crazy was a massive understatement. She was bursting at the seams with frustration but also knew how important it was to stay ahead of the game. In an attempt to distract herself from the conversation ahead of us, she averted to other topics. Her favorite one of late: Viktoria.

"So, Vika seems to be taken with you," she started.

"Oh yeah? Hadn't noticed." A lie. She had been flirting with me all week. I had been politely trying to hint that I was only interested in her friendship, but she was a stubborn one.

"Oh _please_. You're either lying or completely oblivious. Don't sell yourself short Eddie."

Normally I would indulge to keep up her playful attitude, but today I just wasn't in the mood. Maybe it was watching them spar, their reluctance towards each other outside the ring, or a combination of both, but I couldn't help but feel slightly resentful. I gave her a tight smile and rolled my eyes.

"What? She not your type," she leaned in and asked quietly, keeping one eye on Belikov.

I followed her gaze, frustration building again at how aloof they were being. "Just not interested," I curtly replied.

She looked at me curiously for a moment, trying to gage my thoughts. Her face turned somber as she spoke. Misreading my meaning, she said, "I know what you mean. No point in starting something up. Love isn't a luxury we can afford."

Her words put lead into my feet and my pace started to slow. I know most Dhampirs would most likely agree with her but to me, she couldn't be more wrong. Love wasn't a luxury. It was life.

It's true, many of us didn't get to experience it, our duty or short lifespan normally got in the way, but those of us who did knew better than to discredit it. What was the point of being alive if not for love?

My heart had been shattered the day Mason died. I selfishly wished I never harbored those feelings and he was just another novice to me, but I realized that my love was the only thing I had left of him. At first, I thought the only thing that remained was pain but as time went by, the small details that drew me to him manifested deep within me. The crease in his forehead when he was concentrating on perfecting a new move, his ability to make a joke out of anything, his need to always put others before himself—even in the end.

He knew how I felt and was the only one I had ever told, but it didn't faze him in the slightest. Mason never treated me differently and after an awkward shoulder pat and humiliating conversation that started with, "I'm flattered man, but you know I don't really swing that way," he assured me our friendship would never change. It still hurt thinking about him, but the reminder of those feelings and that another person could cause such a deep physical and emotional reaction from you gave me purpose for something other than dying in the line of duty. Something I never knew existed.

I hadn't realized I'd stopped walking until I heard Rose call to me. "Eddie? You alright?"

I could plaster a carefree smile on my face, brush off her comments and put on a happy front just like always. Her and Belikov could keep on avoiding each other and I could act oblivious. Like I said, I wasn't a stranger to keeping secrets.

"You're wrong." Or I could do that.

The hushed phrase flew out of my mouth before I could catch it, but once it was out I felt like I had released a caged bird longing to be free. She didn't respond. She just looked at me with confusion clouding her cold facade.

"There's so much wrong with our world, so much that we can't control. But the things that we can…" my thoughts were jumbled. I was having a hard time putting them into words. I let out a clearing breath. "With all the ugliness surrounding us, the only way to survive is to let in as much beauty as we can. You're full of love Rose, don't deny it, and you're pushing it away."

Her eyes narrowed like I had thrown a dagger at her. "What do you know about love?" Her words were laced with an icy burn. She protectively crossed her arms over her chest and started to turn away.

"I know how precious love is," my words were quiet with my gaze fixed on a crack in the pavement. "How one minute it's there, coursing through your veins and feeding you life, and how quickly it can vanish with the snap of a Strigoi's wrist." My heart was in my throat and I thought I might choke on it. I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering the promise I had made Mason in that hotel room in Novosibirsk, and willed myself to carry on. I slowly looked up to Rose and her cold expression had turned to shock and realization. "You may not want to hear this, but I promised him I would take care of you and I won't fail him again."

She stayed silent, looking at me like it was the first time she was really seeing me.

"You're hurt. Your mind is in a million places. I get it, I really do," I continued with more confidence. "But Lissa—the real Lissa—wouldn't want you living this way. She didn't bring you back from the dead to live a half-life. She loved you Rose, why else would she have gone looking for you that day? She knew your only purpose wasn't just to serve her, like most of the Moroi do. She wanted you to _live_." Rose was breathing heavily, and tears were rimming her eyes. I took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"You may not be able to see it now, but eventually you have to realize that it's okay to let someone love you...and even love them back. In this life we chose, our lives are short but it's the only one we've got. It would be a shame not to truly live while we can."

She stared at me as I waited for some kind of response. It was hard to tell if _everything_ or _nothing_ was running through her mind. She was trying her hardest to hide her thoughts from me; looks like she picked up on more than just impeccable fighting skills from Belikov. Her stone mask was almost impenetrable, but there was a moment where she looked like she would concede—however brief and flitting—it was still there.

"Lissa comes first," the quiet mantra I had heard her whisper to herself on occasion, was the only thing that came out of her mouth. I could have smacked her across the face again, but that brief look of understanding stopped me. Even if she wouldn't admit it out loud, I somehow knew that the internal battle inside her was slowly starting to subside.

"Rose, Eddie," Dimitri called out from his front porch. "We have a lead." Rose snapped her attention to him and headed toward the house. I straightened up and followed in kind. I tried to convert all my focus to what he was saying but couldn't fully shake my and Rose's conversation.

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye to see her regarding Belikov with that same professionalism from the gym. The earlier frustration building within me hadn't completely vanished, but I felt hopeful that she would eventually come to her senses.

I just hoped when the time came, it wouldn't be too late.

 **RPOV**

 **Song: Manipulation by The Black Angels, Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon**

The serpent had come through. Dimitri had asked him to put a tail on Grigory back in Novosibirsk and to be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior. Apparently, he caught wind of something and wanted to meet with us in person to discuss.

I didn't see why he couldn't just tell us over the phone, but Dimitri said he had been adamant about meeting face to face. So now after an hour drive in an old rust bucket that Dimitri had borrowed from Mark, we were patiently waiting at a small coffee shop for the snake to finally show. I should have been grateful for the ride or excited for the chance to finally get some insight to who this mystery guy was, but my conversation with Eddie earlier had thrown me off and I was on edge.

Didn't this place have any food?

Just before hangry Rose was about to rear her head, Dimitri walked up with a basket of black bread. I had to stop myself from tackling him to the ground to get to the food. I had already snatched a piece from the basket and was halfway through it before he even set it down on the table. He let out a knowing smirk and grabbed a piece for himself. I was about to politely tell him not to look so goddamn pleased with himself when his focus shot to the front door. He immediately dropped his piece of bread and straightened up. Eddie and I followed suit and prepared ourselves for the illusive Zmey to enter.

...what the hell?

At first, I thought maybe Dimitri had mistaken the wrong Moroi, but when I saw two giant Guardians in tow behind him, my instincts told me he was right. Zmey was not at all what I had expected. He had on a charcoal gray suit, freshly pressed, paired with a multicolored paisley scarf that reminded me of a sunset. The splash of orange and pink rested on top of a blindingly bright blue button up and I could see specs of gold glimmer from his ears. When he sat down across from us I got a closer look at his dark features and darker eyes. There was something familiar about those eyes.

"Hello there, pleased to make your acquaintance. Apologies for my tardiness, we ran into a bit of...a delay." His emphasis on that last word combined with the grin on his face came across as amusing. I chalked it up to weird mobster humor and brushed it off.

"I'm Rose, this is Eddie," I said gesturing next to me.

"Yes, your reputation precedes you," he replied airily. "I'm glad to finally put a face to the name. Belikov, good to see you. It looks like Siberia has been treating you well" Dimitri nodded in response, tension radiating from him.

"How's the family? Yeva doing well?" I should have been surprised that he knew Dimitri's grandmother's name, but he seemed like the type of man who prided himself on knowledge, no matter how insignificant.

"She is. As are the others," Dimitri politely replied.

"Splendid. Glad to hear it." This guy was either hell-bent on being cordial or was stalling.

"Yes, well that's all very nice but can we get to why you dragged us all the way out here? Wasn't there something important you wanted to tell us?" I could feel Dimitri stiffen next to me, a silent warning to behave.

"I see that patience is not one of your virtues, little girl." The snake's haughty tone was starting to piss me off.

"No. It's not, _old man_. So, if you'd be so kind, let's get this show on the road." Dimitri's head whipped towards me, but I didn't dare meet the scolding gaze that was awaiting me. Eddie remained perfectly still beside me as I kept my fixed glare pointed at the mysterious foreigner in front of me. To all of our surprise, he threw his head back and let out an unrestrained laugh.

"A bit of fire in you," he chuckled. "Good, you're going to need it." I held my tongue and lifted my brows, waiting for him to elaborate. "My contact has kept a close watch on our little friend and has come back with some interesting news. About a ball," his cocky smirk reminded me of Adrian and was enough to make me roll my eyes.

"Oh really, a ball? And is Cinderella going to be there?" Dimitri was mentally facepalming at my snarkiness and Eddie, true to form, let out an amused huff.

"Hmm, not likely. Unless you have a pair of glass slippers stowed away." Abe could keep up, I'd give him that. "The event will be held in Paris one week from now and is exclusive, _very_ exclusive."

"How do you mean," Eddie jumped in.

"Well it seems like dear old Grigory and his band of misfits all received an invite, but no one else that frequents Zavlekat' appeared to have heard of it, including several high-ranking royals."

"And you think it could be Mână related?" Abe's dark eyes widened with surprise at the term. If I had to guess, he didn't think a lowly Dhampir girl had heard of such an "exclusive" group.

"Possibly," he narrowed his gaze briefly before leaning back and plastering the amused grin back on his face. "We'll just have to go and find out now, won't we?"

"Uhh, we?" Did I hear him correctly?

"Yes. I managed to obtain an invitation with a few guests. Seeing how Mr. Ivashkov and Mr. Ozera are royal, it wasn't too difficult to convince my contact that they were interested parties. The rest of you will be joining as either personal guard or...mhmm _company_." He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, sneaking a quick glance at Dimitri.

"You mean Blood Whores," I interjected.

Zmey's face became serious and I could tell the term bothered him. But why? "In a sense, yes."

Dimitri's shoulders went rigid as he gripped his knees under the table. I could tell he was about to do something stupid, like tell Zmey to forget it, so I jumped in before he could speak.

"Okay, we'll do it." Eddie nodded in agreement. "I need to call Chris and Adrian and tell them the plan. Hopefully, we can get them here and all travel to Paris together in time for the event."

"No need," the serpent held up his hand. "I've already made the arrangements. They will be arriving here in the morning." I was starting to think I had been mistaken about those cocky looks from earlier and this guy was really just that good. He had managed to get us all into an exclusive Moroi event in another country and ship our friends out to Siberia before we even had a chance to blink.

"Why are you helping us?" I was still skeptical of him, but the question came out more as genuine curiosity. With all his apparent business dealings around the world, what was the point of stepping in to help a group of renegade Dhampirs? Surely, he had to know the return on his investment would be nonexistent.

"What? A man with my reputation can't put some of his skills towards the greater good?" The three of us just stared at him blankly, completely unconvinced. He smiled again and let out a sigh. "Don't worry about the details for now. Besides, Belikov and I have an arrangement. Don't we?" His voice dropped somewhere between a questioning and threatening tone. As if it was a reminder of something he'd refuse to back down on. Now it was my turn to shoot Dimitri an accusatory look. Before I could ask any more questions, Zmey waived one of the cafe employees over to our table.

"Ah, perfect timing. Tea anyone?" I instinctively pictured the grotesque brew from Oksana's house and couldn't stop the scowl that spread across my face, my burning questions pushed aside to make room for my disgust.

/

We stayed at the cafe for another hour discussing the details and logistics of the next few days. We would be using a combination of Adrian and Abe's resources to make it seem like they were working together on some sort of business venture in Paris. It was a little far-fetched but given Adrian's exaggerated reputation, it wasn't completely unbelievable.

The ride back had been predominantly silent as the three of us went through the plan in our heads, the only sound coming from the low hum of the radio. I looked out the window from the passenger seat recognizing some of the passing structures and realized we were almost back to the Belikova home. I started thinking about the next few hours and how I felt about leaving this place. Dimitri's family had been such a warm welcome to this messed up situation we were in, and I started to feel depressed at the thought of having to leave them.

My thoughts were interrupted when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Dimitri reached over to the stereo and turned the music up slightly. Of course, it was some cheesy 80's song that had piqued his interest. He was subtly bobbing his head and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, seemingly enjoying himself until he saw me looking at him like he had two heads. The look I was giving him was mostly for his taste in terrible music, but when I caught the hint of embarrassment on his face I realized he might have thought I was reading into the lyrics about a love-sick fool holding back his feelings more than anything else.

I wanted to make sure he knew that wasn't the case and spoke out blatantly. "Comrade, your horrible taste in music never ceases to amaze me." The corner of his mouth tugged, and he rolled his eyes to suppress a smile.

"Aw c'mon Rose. It's not that bad," Eddie chimed in from the backseat. I leaned over the center console to face him with mock seriousness on my face. "Do _not_ encourage him, Castile. You and I both know this hardly even classifies as music."

Eddie huffed. "Oh, I forgot, Rose Hathaway is too cool for any music predating 2004."

"Too cool, not musically-challenged? Either way." I shrugged my shoulders and faced the front again. I waited for Eddie's rebuttal, but the car went completely quiet.

I was giving myself a mental high-five for winning the argument when suddenly, Eddie belted out at the top of his lungs, "AND I CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING ANYMOREEEEE. I'VE FORGOTTEN WHAT I STARTED FIGHTING FOOORRRR!"

The silence of the car was shattered, and Dimitri's booming laugh filled the air. My eyes widened to my forehead. I hadn't heard that sound in so long I had almost forgotten it. His full-bellied laugh vibrated through my chest filling me with a blissful warmth and I couldn't help but let out a giggle in response. Eddie continued singing at a ludicrous volume and to my even greater shock, Dimitri looked at me and smiled then began joining Eddie in the song. Hearing them both full heartedly sing along to the corny melody had me folding over in hysterics. At his point, I was laughing so hard it was becoming difficult to breathe.

"Alright, alright," I managed to get out between gasps for air. "I get it, okay? It's not _that_ bad." They started laughing at their victory as we pulled to a stop. We were all still chuckling as we got out of the car and almost didn't notice Sonya in the front yard on her way home from work.

"What's so funny," she fussed.

"Oh, nothing. Eddie and Dimitri were just gracing me with their musical talents to REO Speedwagon," I teased. Eddie took a gallant bow and Dimitri just shook his head as he closed the car door.

Sonya placed her hands on her hips and I prepared myself for her cranky response. "Oh, you think that's bad," her tone was surprisingly light. "When Dimitri was in grade school he blared the entire Air Supply album on repeat for six months straight! We thought we were going to have to have an intervention."

Dimitri shot her a death glare and yelled something at her in Russian. "Pochemu by tebe ne zatknut'sya!"

"Aw bednyaga. Dimka's chuvstva zadety," Sonya's voice was mocking, and she was clearly amused by his reaction.

Eddie and I couldn't help our gaping jaws and stared at them before busting out laughing again. Dimitri muttered something under his breath and walked into the house, Eddie, Sonya, and me in tow grinning like fools.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know some of you were hoping for a DPOV after that last chapter, but I wanted an outsider's perspective here and who better than Eddie? A HUGE thanks to ohorpheuss for her help with this chapter. I've had this planned for a while but needed a lot of expert help here. My main inspiration transpired after reading sagemb's story, "when your love's out of harm's way." It is seriously a brilliant depiction of Eddie and I couldn't get it out of my mind throughout this whole story. If you haven't read it yet, get on it!

On another note: Zmey finally made his debut to Rose! Thoughts on their interaction? I hope you guys enjoyed that small bit of comic relief there at the end after all the angst and emotional terrorism from the last chapter. A Dimitri/Eddie duo to Radio Speedwagon seemed to be in order lol.

Bonus track for Eddie: **Brother's Blood by Kevin Devine**

Russian Translations:

Dimitri: "Why don't you shut the hell up?!"

Sonya: "Aw poor baby. Dimka's feelings are hurt."


	19. Chapter 19

**Ch. 19**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs:** Teardrop by Massive Attack, Black Sheep by Metric

My foot was tapping impatiently on the granite floor as we waited for the elevator to arrive. We skipped our morning training session and headed straight to the hotel that Abe had secured for Christian and Adrian. They were probably exhausted from traveling, but I didn't want to wait another minute. I hadn't been visited by Adrian through his spirit dreams in a while and was anxious to hear what they had learned.

The elevator pinged, and Dimitri grabbed my arm to keep me from launching into it before the other patrons had a chance to get out. I impatiently nodded as each of them passed by and when it was clear, I scurried in with Dimitri and Eddie in tow. I had no idea what to expect. Did they meet someone that had seen the restoration process performed? What all did it entail? Were they able to teach it to Adrian?

Another bell from the elevator signaled that we had arrived on their floor and I briskly walked down the hall to their designated room. I raised my hand to knock, but before my fist could make contact, the door swung open. Adrian stood there with one hand on the door and an excited grin spread across his face. "Little Dhampir," he pulled me in for a tight hug. "It's so good to see you."

"You too," I returned the gesture. I briefly shut my eyes and let out some of the tension I was holding onto. Our visits in my dreams had given me some comfort, but I was relieved to see him in person alive and well. I knew their journey wouldn't be easy and leaving them without a Guardian only amplified my worry. I knew Chris could take care of himself, I had seen it firsthand, but Adrian was more vulnerable.

Adrian pulled back so we were facing one another, still keeping me in his reach. "Next time I agree to something like this, remind me to choose a more enjoyable companion."

"Aw, Fireball got you down," I teased.

"Eh, nothing I couldn't handle, but your gorgeous face would have been a much more welcoming sight," he winked. I heard an uncomfortable grunt from behind us and Adrian's eyes flicked to Dimitri. He dropped his hands from my shoulders and greeted the other two Dhampirs. "Ah Belikov, Castile. Glad to see our Rose hasn't scared you off yet. Please come in." Eddie shook his head at Adrian's antics and Dimitri remained hidden under his stone Guardian mask.

I gave him a small smile and followed them into the room. It was modest enough and looked like a typical hotel room just slightly larger. Christian was seated on a nearby sofa looking like he hadn't slept in days. Eddie plopped down next to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"I heard that Fireball comment," Chris voiced my way. "And I'll have you know, he wasn't exactly a cup of tea either." I let out a small laugh at his snarky tone.

"I'm surprised Sparky, I thought you two would have been best buds by now." Eddie chuckled at Christian's exaggerated eye roll and Adrian made his way to an adjoining chair.

As happy as I was to see them in their current state, the previous impatience began to rise and I quickly jumped into question mode. "So, what have you learned? Is it something we can use?"

Christian sat up a little straighter and began to explain their findings. After Seattle had been a bust they relocated to California where Oksana had given us a lead. It turns out that a group of renegade Spirit users there had not only witnessed the restoration process but had performed it themselves. I was interested in hearing more about this group, but for some reason, Christian was remaining skeptically vague. I pushed it aside when he finally started getting into the specifics of the process. "They said it's similar to the healing technique," Chris started. "Through the use of stakes charmed with Spirit."

"Like your ring," Adrian added. I briefly looked down to my hand before bringing my eyes back up to meet theirs.

"So, all we have to do is get Adrian to charm my stake and I can use it to bring her back," I asked.

"Not exactly," Christian gave Adrian a sidelong glance. "It requires a combination of Spirit magic and the staking." I looked to Adrian who seemed to be studying the space above me; my aura. What was he so worried about?

"Okay, so Adrian will have to do it? It's not ideal, but I think with Dimitri here we could implement enough training to get you ready for it." Dimitri's eyes were fixed on Adrian as if he was assessing his potential. Adrian shifted his gaze away from me almost shamefully, so I prompted him for an answer. "Adrian?"

He took a deep inhale before responding. "Spirit affects us all differently; you know this firsthand, Rose." I nodded, not quite understanding what he was getting at. "I'm not a healer. I was practicing with Lissa before, but don't have enough skill to bring a plant back to life, little less a Moroi."

I shook my head, still not quite processing what he was telling me when a door to the bedroom creaked open. Dimitri, Eddie, and I jumped to our feet ready to take on the intruder, but one look at her kept us frozen in place. I don't know if it was instincts from years and years of ingrained training, but the sight of a Moroi caused us all to pause rather than attack; despite the fact of her unfamiliarity and certain hostility written all over her face. What was more shocking was that Chris and Adrian seemed unphased by her presence.

"Who the fuck is she?!" My emotions were heightened already, but the fact that this girl had just heard everything we were discussing increased them exponentially.

I waited for Chris and Adrian to reply, but before their flapping jaws could get anything out, the surly redhead piped up. "I'm the one here to do what you and your friends can't. So how about you put those stakes away and back the fuck off." Eddie and Dimitri looked at me confused, and my blood started to boil as I, again, waited for Chris and Adrian to provide some sort of insight.

When they continued to sit there in silence I practically growled at them. "You mean to tell me you brought some _stranger_ here to help us bring my best friend back from the dead by staking her through the heart?"

Adrian gulped at my aggressive tone and slowly stood with his hands held out in front of him like he was calming a wild animal. "Listen Rose, we didn't have a choice. I can't perform the kind of magic we need and Eva here—"

"What the hell were you thinking? How the hell are we supposed to trust _her_ ," I gestured over to the petite Moroi.

" _Her_ name is Eva, and it sounds to me like you don't have any other options." I moved my death glare from Christian and Adrian towards the intruder and looked her up and down. She was thin, like most Moroi, but couldn't be any taller than I was. Her massive untamed hair seemed to swallow her, and her wild amber eyes stared back at me with equal fury.

I looked back to Adrian and Christian, unable to hide my hurt by their aggressive ploy. "I can't believe you didn't even consult me on this. Were you just going to hide it from me until her stake plunged into Lissa's heart? That's saying that she can even wield a stake." Eva let out a cocky huff and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Listen, _novice_ , I've probably staked more Strigoi than you can even count, judging by your quick assumptions and obvious lack of intellect." Before I could even think I lunged at her from across the room. Christian stood up to try and block me but was no match for my burning rage. Luckily for Eva, Eddie grabbed me from behind and pulled me back before I could reach her. If I wasn't so busy snarling at the little brat I would've been surprised by the fact that she didn't move an inch as I raced towards her. Eddie was struggling to get ahold of me, but when I finally broke out of his grasp I didn't immediately pounce at the Moroi girl again. I whipped my gaze towards Adrian and hissed through my teeth, "I trusted you. With her life."

Before I could hear a response or register the look on his face, I turned on my heel and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

 **DPOV**

 **Song: On Call by Kings of Leon**

After we returned from the hotel, Rose immediately took off down the street and had been gone for hours. I knew when she was like this it was best to leave her be until she cooled off, but it would be dark soon and I was starting to get worried. Despite my better judgment, I decided to go looking for her and headed towards the lake. The gym would have normally been my first guess, but I had heard Mama telling her about the lake a few days ago and seeing how I had spent many long nights stewing after visits from my father there, I took a long shot that she would venture there as well.

Turns out I was right. Despite our differences in demeanor, we were still alike in so many ways. The closer I got to the water I could hear light, feminine grunts followed by a plunking splash. When I moved through the tree line at the end of the trail I could see her trying, and failing, to skip rocks; each one landing with a clumsy thud rather than a graceful skim. I could tell she noticed my presence but refused to acknowledge me as I walked up behind her.

I stood next to her for a moment, watching as she tried to hurl another rock into the lake. I reached down and grabbed a smooth, oval stone and whipped it with my wrist into the water. I watched the growing ripples meet at each place it skipped until the water stilled again.

Rose frustratingly ran her hands through her hair. "Do you have to be so good at _everything_?" I let out a small closed mouth laugh and instantly regretted it as her face turned towards me. She was still pissed. I reached down and found another suitable skipping rock and tossed it up in my hand.

"It's all about finding the right stone, you have to let it do the work for you." I held out my hand in offering to her. Her curt expression didn't change as she reached over and roughly grabbed it out of my palm. She cranked her arm back like she was about to throw a baseball and I halted her movement.

"No, not like that," I gently grabbed her wrist and moved behind her, lowering her arm to her side. I placed my other hand on her shoulder and turned her torso so that she was facing slightly away from the shore. "Start from the middle and flick it across the water so that it barely grazes the top of its surface," I lowly directed into her ear. We reached our arms back in unison and she released the stone into the water, just as I had told her. It skimmed along a few times before finally sinking into the dark depths of the lake. Rose leaned back so that her shoulder blades pressed into my chest and turned her head to the side, eyes still fixed on the water.

"Always in mentor mode eh, Comrade?" Her familiar nickname elicited another chuckle from me and her shoulders relaxed as the movement from my chest reverberated through her back. She let out a small sigh and looked up at me with her beautiful, dark eyes. I stared into them for a moment, trying to gage what she was thinking before she finally spoke again.

"Why don't they trust me?" Her voice was meek and unsure. The overbearing anger from earlier had dissipated and all that was left was hurt and confusion.

"They do, Rose," I assured her.

"Then why didn't they tell me about her. Why did they keep all of this from me?" She looked down to the ground for a moment then turned around to face me, pulling out of my embrace. "Did you know?"

The stern look she was giving me would have seemed accusatory to anyone else, but I could see the desperation behind her mask. Underlying hope that I didn't betray her trust as well. I selfishly warmed at the fact that she cared whether or not I had been privy to information outside of her knowledge and that my trust was important to her, but quickly righted myself. "No. I did not."

She let out another frustrated sigh and walked towards a nearby bench. I followed her and we both sat on the familiar perch. I looked out to the calming water, thinking about all the times I had used this place as an escape from my worries back home. My sisters' constant pestering, my father's inability to leave us be, and my mother's inability to send him away. I used to spend hours here, reveling in the quiet peacefulness of the still water and desperately trying to recreate the slow ripples inside me to dull my racing pulse.

"How did everything get so turned around? I hate that I feel so helpless. I've always been the one to protect the people I care about and now...I feel like everyone is constantly trying to protect me." She distractedly played with the ring on her finger as she spoke. "I don't want it to be like that. I don't want them hiding things from me because they think I can't handle it. I'm not fragile, Dimitri." There was a bite in her last sentence and she looked up at me like she was ready for a brawl.

"I know you're not, Rose. You're the strongest person I've ever met, and they know that too."

She looked back to the water and let out a huff. "Ha. Tell that to Eva."

"What she said doesn't matter. She doesn't know you," I grabbed her hand and pulled it towards me. "Adrian and Christian didn't keep this from you to hurt you. You know they had good reason or they wouldn't have done it. We are all in this together and will do what it takes to get Lissa back." The mention of the princess' name caused a small reaction from her, and she stared at me unable to reply. Eventually, she nodded in agreeance and moved her focus to her hand as she laced her fingers with mine.

"You're right," she quietly replied. "I guess I'm just not used to being on the sidelines and don't really know what to make of it." I traced small circles on her palm with my thumb as she spoke. "I just want so badly for this to work out, but it's hard to be sure about everything when I'm constantly kept in the dark."

"I understand. But it won't be like this forever," I nudged her silver ring with my finger and she nodded before looking up at me. All of her former hostility had completely melted away. She gazed at me with a sense of bewilderment, catching me slightly off guard.

"How is that you always know what to say, Comrade?" Things had been unbearably distant between us since the night in my room, but I felt so close to her now. It felt like just another day in the academy gym, where we would talk like old friends.

I leaned in and playfully lifted an eyebrow at her, "Zen logic." She giggled at my response and her laugh was infectious. I grinned widely at her and she shyly looked up at me through her long, full lashes.

Satisfied and pleased that she was settled I rose from the bench and regretfully slipped her hand out of mine, not wanting to ruin this pleasant moment with rash actions like I had the other night. Those memories were still weighing on me. That night after bringing her back to reality, I cradled her in my arms until her sobs finally broke and we hadn't spoken a word about it since. I was glad to have stopped it before things escalated between us but had also been feeling guilty for not wanting to. Having her body on mine again, feeling her soft skin in my hands brought out something carnal in me. Something that didn't want to be caged. I knew it was wrong but being denied her love for so long caused my judgment to falter. I felt the need to apologize to her and hopefully clear the air, but her clear signals of distance and uneasiness around me lately told me to keep my mouth shut.

Seeing how well we were getting along, I was tempted to bring it up now, but building this friendship with her felt more important and I didn't want to sully it with memories from that night. "We should be getting back. Mama is planning a farewell dinner for us." Rose stood up next to me and I turned towards the worn trail back to the house.

"Dimitri," she called out from behind.

I turned back to face her, "Yes, Rose?"

"Thank you. You should know—through all of this—there's no one I would rather have by my side."

My heart swelled with pride to hear those words. I nodded and gave her a small smile as she fell in line next to me. The rest of the way back to the house we walked in comfortable silence, reminding me of how we used to be.

/

Mama and Vika greeted us as we walked inside pulling Rose in for a conjoining hug. I could see her appreciation of the gesture when a small smile crept up the corner of her mouth. Admiring the three of them for a moment, I soaked up how my family had completely embraced her here and how Rose seemed to be just as comfortable around them. I could tell she was going to miss them and leaving was starting to weigh on her almost as much as me.

Eventually, I stepped around them and peered into the kitchen to see it full of enough food to feed us for months. "Mama, eto slishkom mnogo." She was really going overboard this time.

"Oh hush Dimka, nothing is too much for your last nights," she called behind me.

"Plus, we invited a few people for the memorial," Vika chirped.

"Memorial?" Rose's expression dimmed as she looked between them.

"Yes," Vika started shyly. "We thought for your last night we would have a memorial for your friend Vasilisa." I stilled, waiting for Rose to react. I knew their intentions were genuine, but I really wished they would have told me about their plans sooner so I could've at least warned her.

"She's not dead," Rose replied with a deadpan tone and hardened look.

"We know that Rose," Mama reached out her hand to Rose's shoulder and lowered her voice. "In Russia, it is custom to remember the life of our fallen loved ones. To share our fondest memories of them to keep those moments alive. We thought it would help you with your travels ahead." Rose looked unsure for a beat and I was about to step in and tell them to forget the whole thing when instead, she spoke up.

"You're right, Olena. She deserves to be remembered how she was. Thank you." I was shocked at how reasonable Rose was being. I half-expected her to react emotionally and was still a little worried that she might be just trying to appease my family, hiding behind politeness instead of voicing her true thoughts. Noticing my uncertainty, Rose nodded and gave me a relaxed look that said she was honestly okay with it. A breath of tension eased from the room and we all walked towards the kitchen to help with final preparations.

Slowly the guests began to arrive starting with Mark and Oksana. They joined Rose in the living room for a hushed conversation. Eddie and I gave them privacy as we helped Mama set the table, but I couldn't help but steal glances in their direction every once in a while. When Chris and Adrian arrived with Eva, Eddie and I stiffened looking between the two groups. Rose stood from her place between Mark and Oksana and calmly walked towards Adrian. To our surprise, she pulled him into a small hug and whispered something into his ear. His anxious look quickly faded, and he relaxed into that same cocky demeanor he usually wore.

"Rose, I would like to officially introduce you to Eva," Adrian shifted and raised his arm towards the ill-tempered redhead behind him. Rose's friendly demeanor faded a little and was replaced by a hint of reluctance. Still, civility prevailed and she jutted her hand out towards the Moroi girl, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Eva replied with just as much hesitancy.

"Well, now that we've gotten that over with, who's hungry," Eddie chimed in.

Rose chuckled at him, thankful for his effort to pacify the tension and Eva stood there rigidly, seemingly unamused. She was unlike any Moroi I had ever met. Don't get me wrong, I had seen my fair share of irritable looks and brusque dispositions, but it usually came from haughty Royals that saw themselves as superior and looked down on us. Eva didn't appear to be either of those, but there was something about her morose attitude that stood out. It wasn't just that she didn't want to be here, it was almost like she was uncomfortable in her own skin.

I glanced over at Oksana studying her as everyone filed into the dining area. Something appeared to irritate Eva even more and she shot Oksana a menacing look. Mark grabbed his wife's arm and pulled her to the other end of the room, giving her an equally warning glance as they shared a silent conversation.

Before I could inquire what that was about, Mama called us to sit and we all took our places around the table. I made a mental note to pull Oksana aside later and ask her what she saw. If we were going to trust this girl with Lissa's life, I needed to find out everything I could about her.

 **APOV**

 **Songs: After the Storm by Mumford and Sons**

After dinner, we all congregated to the backyard around a large fire. The family had wrestled up enough mismatched chairs to fit us all in this quaint setting. I was a little hesitant at first to attend a party at Belikov's family home but so far, the evening had been quite pleasant and to top it off, his sisters were beyond a welcoming sight. Karolina had caught my attention first with her glimmering brown eyes and gorgeous features, but I had to admit even 8 months pregnant Sonya was absolutely beautiful and that Vika was a heartbreaker in the making. Good looks must run in the Belikova family.

Someone started passing around shots of Russian vodka and I happily took one, downing it as soon as the glass hit my hand. Karolina nudged me with furrowed brows and said I was supposed to wait until after someone told a fond memory about the princess.

"Oh?" I reached over to the bottle now resting at the edge of the fire and refilled my glass. "Well, in that case, allow me to get things started." She tried to hide her amusement, but I could see a slight smirk tugging at her lips.

I cleared my throat and grabbed the attention of the other attendees. "I would like to start a toast to my dear cousin, Princess Vasilisa Dragomir," I began. "I remember the first night I met her. I had heard rumors of her _special_ abilities, or lack thereof I should say. People saw those of us who didn't specialize in a particular element as lacking, but I was anxious to meet her hoping that I had finally found someone like me. You see, it can be quite lonely not knowing what you are or if anyone else shares these crazy impulses and talents as you...even for someone as broodingly handsome as me." I could hear some of the Belikova's giggle and Chris murmur something under his breath, which only spurred me on. I ran a hand through my hair and flashed a wink at Sonya.

"That night I invited her and her friends to a small gathering. When I finally had a chance to speak with her, I was slightly disappointed that she didn't immediately recognize me as one of her own. I thought maybe I had been mistaken, and we weren't so alike after all...but when she touched my arm, her eyes lit up. Shock and realization crossed her face, and it was one of the most magnificent things I had seen. Well, apart from Rose in that red bikini," I wiggled my eyebrows at her and saw her roll her eyes in response. I returned back to the anecdote, with more seriousness this time. "At that moment, I knew I wasn't alone and I could see the same feeling mirrored in Lissa. We may have been polar opposites on several accounts, but she was my equal on so many other levels. She spent the next few months teaching me more than just about Spirit magic, but about friendship, family, and overall goodness." I paused for a moment, reminiscing how much my time with Lissa had truly meant to the both of us, no matter how short it was.

Raising my glass, I toasted loudly, "To Lissa. My confidant. My tutor. My friend." The others joined me in lifting their vodka and we all downed them in unison. I heard a gurgling cough from Rose and a matching look on Christian's face as he yelled out, "Poison!"

The Russians in the circle laughed at their inexperience with the potent drink. "I thought you said this was vodka," Rose accused Dimitri.

"It is," Belikov chuckled. "Russian vodka. Not that diluted crap you Americans call alcohol."

"You knew about this?" Rose pointed at me accusingly with the cup in her hand while wiping her face with the other. I shrugged my shoulders innocently and held out my glass as Vika walked around to refill them. I decided to do a quick look around at everyone's auras, knowing after a couple more of these I would lose my ability to.

The majority seemed to be in pleasant spirits. Rose's was still ringed with a tinge of darkness, but every time she and Belikov brushed against one another, I could see it lighten up. I made my way passed Chris' to see it was still in its same form, as usual, each of the Belikova's were similar but with a slight difference providing insight into their individual temperaments, Oksana's shined white with Spirit magic, and then there was Eva. She was standing off to the side in a corner away from the crowd, slowly sipping on her first shot. Her eyes were making her way from person to person, seemingly inspecting them as I was. I had been having a hard time getting a read on her the past few days and decided to take the opportunity of her distraction to my advantage. I could make out a small ring of her aura, a splash of colors slowly creeping out—before it completely vanished. I looked down slightly to see her staring directly at me. I looked away uneasily and downed my shot, earning another admonishing look from Karolina for not waiting until the proper time.

The night continued in a similar fashion. Stories were exchanged, shots were taken, and laughter eventually filled the air. Castile reminisced about a time in grade school when Lissa threatened a Dhampir boy that was teasing Eddie for not wanting to play seven minutes in heaven with some Meredith girl. Apparently, despite her petite physique, this Blake fellow was thoroughly appalled by Lissa's verbal lashing, earning fits of laughter from Rose.

Christian described a night before they were officially dating when he opened up to her about his parents. Lissa was so understanding, unlike everyone else at their school or in our community really, and offered him the comfort he hadn't even realized he had been seeking. His story was so full of love and compassion, all of the Belikova women were swooning. Normally, I would have been put off by this kind of talk, but Christian had a way with words so that it was hard not to get wrapped up in the way he spoke about Lissa.

Finally, it was Rose's turn. I could tell she had already consumed her fair share of Russian vodka but didn't think she would have the nerve to speak if she hadn't. She was subtly swaying on her feet but managed to steady herself before beginning her story.

"I remem—" she cleared her throat to banish the shyness and began speaking with her normal confidence. "I remember one Christmas early on at St. Vlad's. Lissa's parents were traveling and wouldn't be back until Christmas Eve so she was stuck there with the rest of us orphans," she used air quotes over the last word. "I had been waiting months for a letter from my mother. Telling me she would be coming to get me for Christmas this year, or that she was even thinking of me during the holidays. But nothing came." A pang of sadness hit me straight in the chest as a vision of a small dark-haired girl waiting for her mother to care about her crept into my mind. "It was a pattern from the previous years that I should have expected, but for some reason, it hit me harder this time. I don't know if it was because I was tired of seeing our classmates get to spend time with their families, or if it was because I was getting older and starting to realize my mother didn't _want_ to see me. Either way, I was a mess," she shook her head almost amused by the state she was in back then.

"Lissa came to my room to check on me, but I wouldn't let her in. I wouldn't let anyone in. I felt so alone, and as much as I wanted someone to alleviate it, I was scared to let her see me that way. I was only eight at the time, but I knew one day I would be a Guardian... _her_ Guardian, and I had to be strong." Without even being able to read his aura, I could tell Belikov wanted to reach out to Rose. Instead, he just continued teetering on the border of abstaining and fulfilling his desires. "Eventually, she wore down my resolve and after her constant pestering on the other side of my door I finally let her in. She brought me a cookie in the shape of a Christmas tree and sat on my bed next to me, begging me to talk to her. I don't know if it was the reminder of the upcoming holidays from the green sprinkled cookie or the comfort of her presence but I broke down. I told her how I felt completely alone and would never truly have a family."

Dimitri finally caved and placed his hand on hers, causing her gaze to move from her lap to his face. She continued her story, speaking directly to Dimitri as if all the rest of us in the circle were forgotten. "Lissa shook my shoulders with so much force, the shock was enough to make me fall off the bed. But I was stuck in her grasp as I looked her straight on in those pale green eyes. She told me 'Rose, that's not true. Of course you have a family...you have me.' I could see on her face that she believed every word she was saying. She wasn't just telling me this to make me feel better, she honestly felt I was part of her family. It was the first time I truly felt like I belonged somewhere. She pulled me in for a hug and told me no matter what, I would always be family to her, and all those empty feelings of loneliness completely faded away. It was the best Christmas I ever had."

I noticed her subconsciously toying with the Dragomir chokti around her wrist and lifted my glass in the air, disrupting the heartbreaking stares in her direction. "To Lissa," I announced. "Rose's friend. Her family. Her savior." Rose looked at me and lifted her cup to mine, sending a ripple effect of small glasses of Russian vodka around us.

Not long after, Rose began drifting off in her seat from the abundance of hard liquor. A couple of polite farewells later, Dimitri deftly lifted her from her position, causing her to giggle, and carried her into the house. Rose waved goodbye from his arms, shouting a slur of words that could have been mistaken for Russian or English while still clinging to her tiny cup.

I looked around the room, observing the other patrons beginning to part ways, but my eyes were eventually pulled to Eva. She was staring at Rose in Dimitri's embrace as they entered the house. As soon as the screen door closed and they were out of sight, her amber eyes shot in my direction exuding a knowing look. I wasn't entirely sure what the extent of her abilities were, she seemed keen on keeping the majority of them from us, but seeing how we were asking a huge favor of her, I hadn't pressed her that much. But that look...it caused an uneasy feeling within me that made me want to find a way to unlock everything she was keeping hidden.

 **RPOV**

 **Song: Fear of Losing This by Florist**

I woke up to a finger poking my shoulder. My head was pounding, and my eyelids refused to open. I let out an annoyed groan as the aggravator poked me again.

"What?!" My voice was hoarse and my tongue felt like sandpaper.

"Shh! You'll wake him." I peeked one of my eyes open to see Paul crouched down next to the bed. I suddenly realized where I was. _How did I get to bed last night?_ I looked over my shoulder to see the back of Dimitri's sleeping form, the movement causing the pounding in my head to accelerate. I let out another groan and Paul stood up, motioning for me to follow him with a finger pressed to his lips.

His ability to sneak in here without disturbing Dimitri was either a testament to his stealth skills, or how much the Russian god drank last night. He really was a mini Dimitri in the making. I wanted to tell Paul to buzz off and go back to sleep until the churning in my stomach subsided, but his jabby finger was unrelenting.

Finally caving in, I flung the sheets off me and sat up. I looked down to see I was still wearing the same clothes from last night. Someone must have had to put me to bed. _What the hell do these people put in their vodka?_

Paul jerked his head impatiently and I slowly made my way over to the door. Dragging my feet down the hall, I followed Paul downstairs to the kitchen to see Yeva waiting for us, looking crabby as always. _Great_.

"Will someone please tell me what was so important you had to drag my ass out of bed at the crack of dawn?" I wasn't even sure what time it was, but complaining and hangovers seemed to go hand in hand.

Yeva spoke quickly in Russian, earning a confused look from me in response. "Babushka says that she needs to have a word with you before you go," Paul translated.

"Fine, shoot." I rubbed my temples waiting for her to speak. Another string of Russian words flung from her and Paul quickly began to translate. "She says your journey ahead is noble, but does not believe all your intentions are."

"Meaning," I asked, annoyed. I was not in the mood for an elusive conversation right now.

"She says your intentions with Uncle Dimka are...selfish," Paul timidly translated.

Well, that was bold. My eyes widened, and I finally felt awake. "Selfish? I didn't force him into this. Dimitri is here because he wants to be." My temper was starting to simmer.

"He is here for you," Paul said as Yeva pointed accusingly at me. "He will stop at nothing to protect you, even if that means his own demise, and you are using him."

"I am not using him, I lov—" The words flew out of my mouth without a second thought. I quickly tried to compose myself as a sly, knowing smirk formed on Yeva's face. My mind scrambled, trying to amend what I had almost said, but for some reason...I couldn't take it back.

"If this is true," Paul continued. "She says you need to stop fighting it. Stop letting your guilt rule your decisions before it's too late."

I wanted to tell her and Paul to mind their own business, but her stare suddenly reminded me of Rhonda's in that room as she read Dimitri his fortune. Like she knew something about us that had yet to happen.

That look left me baffled and before I could think of a reply she turned to leave the kitchen with Paul in tow, leaving me standing there alone with now a physical _and_ emotional hangover.

* * *

 **A/N:** This is by far the longest chapter. Hopefully, it didn't seem to drone on (and on) but I really wanted to dedicate the next one solely to the ball. Paris, here we come! Lots of POVs in this one and I'd love to hear what you guys thought. Thank you for all the love last chapter. I am thrilled about all the positive reviews from Eddie's POV. Isn't he the greatest?

On another note, as some of you already know a new VA project is coming out soon with some amazing VA/Disney crossovers. I'll be submitting two stories so if you aren't already following my author page, be on the lookout early next week for updates on some new stuff. Also, you can follow the tag "VA does Disney" on Tumblr to check them all out starting in April. Yay Disney!


	20. Chapter 20

**Ch. 20**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs:** **Ballade de Hollis Brown by Hugues Aufray,** **(I Just) Died in Your Arms by Cutting Crew**

"Another champagne, Monsieur?" A waiter dressed in all white held out a silver tray in our direction.

"Don't mind if I do," Adrian reached for one of the crystal flutes and Christian shot him a warning glare. "Oh, come on Chris. I'm supposed to be blending, remember?"

Eddie walked up behind Christian interrupting their trivial argument. "No sign of him yet."

Abe had sent the four of us ahead, Eddie and me posing as the Moroi's Guardians under false names, while we did a quick assessment of the perimeter and an initial search for Grigory. We agreed it would be better arriving at different times rather than as one big group. Rose and Pavel would be accompanying him, with Eva staying back until we could get the information we needed.

Prior to leaving, I had asked Abe to do another check of the guest list to not only triple check that Grigory was among them, but also to make sure no one from the Moroi or Guardian Council would be attending. I hadn't been in contact with Alberta since I left the academy, but seeing how we left things open-ended, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to present myself to the people who were basically accusing me of conspiracy.

" _Why haven't you told any of them yet," Abe had asked._

" _It's for me to worry about, not them," I deadpanned, closing the door to his office._

" _Don't you think she has the right to know? From what I've gathered, that girl does not seem like the type of person who appreciates secrets." He wasn't wrong there._

 _I knew eventually I'd have to come clean to Rose, but she needed me to be strong right now. I couldn't appear to be weak or vulnerable. "We need them to focus on the mission and I don't want Rose distracted."_

 _Abe huffed in disbelief of my response. "You really are something else, Belikov."_

I rid our private conversation from my mind and refocused on the room. Everyone here, including the Dhampirs, were all dressed in formal attire. Eddie and I had been forced into tuxes as well, neither of us too pleased about it; they made it somewhat difficult to maneuver in a fight, but we could make due. It was somewhat difficult to tell which of the Dhampirs were here on duty, or attending as "guests". Some were obviously guarding, with their backs always to a wall and a keen eye on the room, others were sipping on champagne or hanging off well-dressed Moroi men.

"We're approaching the gate," an accented voice spoke through my earpiece. I looked to Eddie who had heard the message as well and we all began making our way toward the front of the room to greet the rest of our party. I knew the role Rose would play. Even though it was an act, it made me extremely uneasy seeing the other women around here and picturing Rose in their place. I began subconsciously visualizing her face over each of them. A greasy Moroi with his arm around Rose's waist, whispering in her ear. A regal redhead woman running her fingertips along Rose's shoulder, eyeing her like a piece of meat.

My pulse was racing in anticipation and I was regretting this plan each minute that dragged on. I mentally scolded myself for acting like a jealous boyfriend. Rose and I weren't together anymore, but I couldn't help but still feel protective of her.

"Here they come," Eddie acknowledged. With my back to the entrance, I began to prepare myself mentally for the remainder of the evening. I could do this. I would do this. For Rose.

Adrian grabbed a couple of glasses of champagne to greet Abe with. Chris fell in line behind him and Eddie headed up the rear. I took one last calming breath and turned around, my nerves finally starting to settle.

Until I saw her. My breathing stopped and my heart pounded in my chest. I hadn't realized that our group had started moving until Eddie bumped into my back. I scrambled my feet, correcting my position, and moved towards the glorious vision ahead of us.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. The silky red fabric seemed to simultaneously cling to her body and flow away from it in crimson waves. The sweetheart cut accentuated her perfect breasts and the thin sleeves gracefully fell off her shoulders. Her thick hair was pulled back to show off her gorgeous, exotic features but half was left down in loose curls to hide her Molnija and Zvezda marks. She was a goddess.

Staring at her in that dress, my immediate reaction was caught somewhere between wanting to run over to her with my duster and hide her from prying eyes, and taking her to a nearby room and ripping it from her body.

 _Get ahold of yourself, Dimitri._

The closer we got, the more small details I noticed. The red stain on her lips, the light blush highlighting her soft cheeks, an intoxicating perfume radiating off of her.

"Damn, Rose. You clean up nice," Adrian reached over and pulled Rose in for a friendly hug and kiss on the cheek.

She grazed her hand down her body as if to show off her perfect physique. "Well, thank you, sir."

"Ahem, you are meeting these lovely gents for the first time remember?" Abe brought them out of their chummy exchange as a few guests made their way by us. Christian stepped forward and offered his hand, politely introducing himself and Eddie. Rose smiled and shook their hands in a cordial exchange. When her eyes finally met mine, I was enraptured once again. She looked down, admiring my attire, and her smoldering gaze mirrored my own.

I reached out for her hand and brought it to my lips, planting a light kiss on her soft skin. "Roza. You look beautiful," I whispered, my lips a breath away from her hand.

"Th—thank you," she nervously replied. God, I could have stared into those gorgeous eyes all night if she'd let me. A new conversation started next to us between Abe, Adrian, and another Moroi man that approached the group and I regretfully pulled away from Rose, blending into the background once again.

The night carried on. Rose bounced from Adrian's arm to Abe's. Once Grigory finally arrived, Eddie and I kept a close watch on our target, both of us sparing occasional glances at Rose to make sure she was alright. Eddie was a good friend to her and I appreciated the extra set of eyes to keep watch on all the drooling men at the ball. Rose was by far the most beautiful woman there. Hell, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Eventually, Abe instructed her to wander off on her own in hopes that Grigory would approach her. According to Abe's contacts, he had been known to have an inclination for beautiful Dhampir women such as Rose; however, he had yet to make himself known to our group.

Rose stood near the dancefloor, innocently twirling a strand of hair around her finger. I saw Grigory take notice of her from across the room, but he seemed to be more interested in his current conversation and regarded Rose as an afterthought.

 _Fool_.

"We need something more drastic," Abe concluded. "She can't just go up to him and expect him to respond. We need him to come to her. He's the type of man who revels in the thrill of the chase. Something I can admire in another man, no matter how despicable he may be." He tried to hide his disgust behind a smug guise.

"Maybe a twirl around the dancefloor will grab his attention," Abe ran his hand through his perfectly trimmed beard.

"Well, then allow me to indulge," Adrian started as he set down his fourth glass of champagne.

"No." Abe shot out his arm, halting Adrian's movement with a hand on his chest. "Not you."

He slowly moved his gaze from Rose...to me.

"Belikov," He smiled. "Would you be so kind as to ask the little lady for a dance?"

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Work Song by Hozier, Need You Tonight by Welshly Arms**

For something alluring enough to be named a ball, this party was such a bore. I had spent the majority of it pretending to hang on every word that Abe spoke and turning down advances from sleazy Moroi pricks.

The most excitement of the evening was when I walked in. Seeing Dimitri in that tuxedo, staring at me the way he was, caused every hair on my body to stand on end. It's no secret that he was an attractive guy, but he looked impossibly handsome tonight dressed to the nines. I felt something familiar stir inside me when his lips made contact with my skin.

I rolled my shoulders and tilted my neck side to side, his fierce gaze still causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach, my heart, my—

My thoughts were interrupted when a warm, calloused hand lightly fell on my shoulder. I didn't even need to turn around to know it was him. His familiar, wonderful scent gave him away.

"Excuse me, Miss." I looked up at Dimitri over my shoulder. "May I have this dance?" His velvet voice made it impossible to refuse and a nod was the only response I could muster.

In one swift movement, he was next to me with his hand in mine, pulling me towards the center of the dancefloor.

We were all forced to take dance lessons at St. Vladimir's early on. It was a bit of a Moroi tradition that had been passed down for generations; for events such as these, I supposed. Even though us Dhampirs knew we would rarely use those skills outside of school dances, I always enjoyed picking them up. I glanced around and recognized the dance immediately. The steady rhythm and low hum of the band's tune perfectly reflected the steps that resembled a mix between a waltz and a tamed tango.

We joined the other couples on the marble floor beneath the room's extravagant chandelier. It's intricate crystal beads reflecting off the dim lighting was enough to pull anyone's attention to it, but my eyes were fixed on Dimitri. His suit jacket hugged his broad shoulders like it was made for them. His long hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and I suddenly felt the urge to set it free. When we reached a spot to his liking, he turned around to face me. Trying desperately to calm my racing pulse, my eyes shyly shot to the floor and I studied our feet meticulously as he pulled me towards him.

 _Get a grip, Rose. It's just a dance for crying out loud._

A warm shiver rolled through me as his hand cautiously glided down my back and my eyes shot up to his face, causing me to straighten up and subconsciously move closer to him. Without taking his eyes off mine, he took a small step towards me and I followed suit by taking a mirrored step back. I wasn't normally the type to follow, but at that moment a strange, almost hypnotizing feeling came over me that made me feel like I would follow him anywhere he led.

Normally, with new partners, it would take a few turns around the dancefloor to get used to each other and find comfort in one another's rhythm, but with Dimitri...we fell in synch from the very first step. His light movements on the battlefield were paralleled on the slick floor, and I felt complete trust that every step he made was the right one.

The tips of my loose curls tickled his hand on my back and he began twirling the strands around his fingers. My nerves started to settle under Dimitri's calming caress and I finally mustered enough confidence to speak.

"Where did you learn to dance," I asked him. After seeing his deadly grace in training, I should have expected him to be skilled out here as well. But still, his sturdy elegance peaked my curiosity.

"Karo and Sonya used to make me practice with them for dances at St. Basil's." He let out a small laugh as he reminisced. "I tried to refuse them at first, but their constant begging always got the better of me."

I pictured a younger Dimitri rolling his eyes as the Belikova women forced him to dance around the kitchen. The image brought a bubbling smile to my face and the mood became immensely less tense.

We slowly glided at first, falling in line with the other couples dancing nearby, but as the beat picked up his moves became braver. His firm, yet gentle grip on my back kept me upright as he led us in smooth circles around the edges of the dancefloor. Eventually, his hold on me loosened and he prepared his first risky move. Dimitri lowered his hand to my waist and lightly gripped me just before twirling me around him.

It was so quick and graceful, I almost thought I had imagined it when he pulled me back and we were face to face once again. An uncharacteristic smirk slyly crept up his face as we continued swaying to the band's deep hum. There was something playful in his smile that caused my heart to jump.

Not wanting to reveal the effect that smile had on me, I gave him an equally cocky grin and pushed my chest up against his before leaning back in a sultry dip as he spun us around. When I whipped back up, his expression had transformed into burning desire and I reveled in the small victory. Noticing my self-assured demeanor, Dimitri raised an eyebrow and flashed me a look that said 'game on'.

We spiraled around the dancefloor, our bodies entwining and flowing through each move that we threw at one another; our competitive nature finally coming into play. It was a battle that neither of us wanted to lose and each bold move was met with an equally fervent one.

As the crescendo of the song approached, Dimitri let go of my hand and snatched my hips as he deftly lifted me above him. I gripped his shoulders and looked down at him as he whirled us around, the ends of my dress gracefully rippling by. My body and soul felt light as air while he effortlessly held me up. The song started to slow again, signaling its end and Dimitri gradually began to bring me down. I maintained my grasp on him while he lowered me, pulling our bodies closer together as my feet approached the floor. Our eyes were locked and I bit my bottom lip under his fierce gaze. Our chests were pressed completely together, not even a breath separating us.

My heart was pounding and I could feel his beating in an equally fervent strum as we stood there enveloped in one another's grasp. Dimitri removed one of his hands from my waist and brought it up to my face. His feather-like touch caused my lip to quiver in anticipation as he carefully tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"You are so beautiful." His eyes eagerly searched my face and each spot they rested I could feel a light flush tugging under my skin. When those chocolate orbs finally landed on mine, my racing heart completely stopped.

"So are you." It was out of my mouth before I could consider how ridiculous it sounded. He smiled at my breathless reply, lighting up his already heart-melting features. Most good-looking men I would describe as handsome or attractive, but Dimitri—in this grand room, under these elegant lights, and in that suit—he was gorgeous.

I felt entranced under his stare. We hadn't been this close since the night I was wrapped up in the bond's bloodlust, but this was a different kind of spell. It wasn't dark, lingering emotions corrupting my body and mind. It was him.

"You two put on quite the show," a heavily accented voice seeped through our bubble and broke the spell.

"Hmm?" Still slightly dazed, I turned my focus to where the voice had come from, and standing beside us was Grigory.

"I must admit, I am extremely impressed, as are the others in the room." I looked around and realized the dancefloor that was once filled with a mass of couples was now completely baron except for Dimitri and me. They were all lined up around the outskirts with other spectators, eyes beaming at us with a mix of fascination and jealousy.

"I can't blame them. Your moves had me captivated as well Miss—"I became acutely aware of our allusive embrace as Grigory's look moved over Dimitri in a judging glare.

"Grand. Victoria Grand," I finished for him, pulling out of Dimitri's hold. "It appears my partner can be quite... _spirited,_ " I looked over to Dimitri, adding an extra bit of sass to my demeanor.

"Normally, I look for a more quality partner but he turned out to be decent enough—for a Guardian." I wafted my hand in Dimitri's direction and leaned into my hip, showing off my curves to Grigory. He snickered at my snub and stroked his beard admiringly. Dimitri straightened up and snapped his stone mask in place.

"Thank you for the dance," he replied curtly, turning on his heel.

Even though it was all an act, a little piece of me chipped away as he brusquely walked passed us. I looked over Grigory's shoulder after Dimitri hoping he would spare one last glance at me and see the truth in my eyes, but he kept his tense back to us, his fists flexing open and closed at his sides and he blended into the crowd.

Grigory lifted his hand and lazily motioned over one of the waiters carrying a tray of champagne. "Ladies first," he looked to me.

"Well, don't mind if I do." I snatched one of the glasses and gulped down half of the bubbly drink.

"Is it to your liking," Grigory asked, eyeing me curiously.

"Hmm, I've had better," I flirtatiously replied. This earned me another amused chuckle.

"Victoria Grand, you are an interesting woman. Difficult to read. I find that... _intriguing_." Grigory's snake-like smile caused my stomach to churn, which I deftly covered with another sip of champagne. I batted my long eyelashes at him over the rim of my glass and rolled my shoulder to the side.

"I should be getting back to my friends," I feigned a hint of boredom. "Thanks for the drink, Mr—"

"Grigory Szelsky, at your pleasure." He took my hand in his and with a short bow, he kissed the top of it, causing my skin to crawl. I gave him one last man-eater smile and slowly turned my back away, swaying my hips unnecessarily as I sauntered off.

"Victoria," I grinned as he called the name behind me.

"Yes, Grigory," I asked over my shoulder, seemingly aloof.

He walked over to stand beside me and asked, "Would you accompany me upstairs on the balcony? There is a _special_ ceremony that will take place soon, and I would be honored if you would join me."

I paused a moment, making him anticipate my response. "Alright. I think I could be persuaded."

His grin grew wider, revealing a peek at his fangs and I knew I had him hooked. He placed his hand on the small of my back, leading me towards the nearest staircase. I deftly looked around and made quick eye contact with Abe then Eddie, signaling where we were headed.

Grigory nodded at other attendees along the way and paused to make quick pleasantries as we headed up the white marble steps. He appeared to enjoy showing me off and I obliged to appease him.

"You seem to have quite a few friends here," I commented as we approached the balcony. I leaned my forearms on the cool gold metal and arched my back while looking over the edge.

"I believe in making a name for myself. A man is only as good as his legacy after all." His cocky response irritated me almost as much as his appreciative gaze at my backside.

"Oh really? And here I thought it was the woman on his arm that made the man," I turned around to face him, casually leaning my back and elbows on the rail.

"In the present tense, you couldn't be more right," he moved closer to me and set his drink down beside him. "But a legacy is immortal, and immortality is power." He lifted his right hand and stroked my arm with the back of his fingers.

"I take it you're the type of man who values power."

"Above all else. With power comes respect…endless opportunity…pleasure," Grigory hissed into my ear.

"But at what cost?" My smart mouth betrayed me and the whispered words slipped out before I could think better of it. Grigory pulled back with slightly furrowed brows, and I amended my mistake by feigning a drunken giggle. "Besides, someone like you looks like he could afford anything he wants," I provocatively stroked his arm. He seemed to buy my ploy, but before our conversation could continue, a voice called out and our attention was pulled downstairs.

The room quickly settled and all eyes focused on a Moroi man standing in the middle of the dance floor. With the room quieted, his voice carried throughout the entire ball. The man began speaking in French, all words lost on me. _Damnit, why didn't I ever pay attention in foreign language?_

Noticing my confusion, Grigory leaned in next to me to whisper a translation. "He is welcoming everyone to this grandiose event. There are a few new members here tonight, and to celebrate their arrival and a new… _partnership_ he has prepared an extravagant presentation." The mention of a partnership brought me back to his conversation with Lissa I had witnessed through the bond and I quickly scanned the room for my friends, hoping at least one of us had a good vantage point to pounce if needed. I could feel my stomach starting to churn as I anticipated her entrance.

The man motioned over to a corridor to his left where three hooded figures emerged. Two of them stood side by side grasping on to the third person's arms. Their tight grip caused another stir in my already uneasy gut. I could see the tips of a man's shoes dragging along the floor as the other two cloaked aggressors effortlessly pulled him towards the center of the room.

When they reached the Moroi man in charge, they flung their captive to the ground, his knees crashing into the marble floor and his head hanging low with the hood still covering it. I assumed his hands were tied since he made no effort to brace his fall. I peered at Grigory through my peripherals, trying to gage his thoughts on the scene before us.

"This rat is a traitor to our circle." The Moroi conveniently switched to English as he belted out his accusations. "He has been spying on our elite group and feeding intel regarding our most secretive plans. We do not tolerate disloyalty, and have brought him here to make an example of his crimes." In one swift movement, the Moroi whipped the hood from the kneeling man, revealing a familiar face.

It was Arthur, the lovesick bartender Eddie and I had questioned at Zavlekat. His hair and clothes were unruly and there were dark circles under his sleep deprived eyes. We hadn't asked him anything of much importance, at least nothing deep enough to warrant this kind of humiliation. Suddenly, all the convoluted pieces began coming together in my mind. Abe had repeatedly mentioned a contact that gave him information on the ball and who all would be attending. Why hadn't I questioned him who it was? He also must have been the same person that tipped off Abe to me and Eddie when we visited the bar. How else would Dimitri have gotten to us so fast after arriving there?

Still, did selling out some of the "elite" members at this event really warrant this type of behavior? No. But to them, something else might.

My worry exponentially grew as another thought crossed my mind: _Did he know about Lissa? Had he been there during her and Grigory's meeting?_ I desperately tried to remember back to that night, but before I could grasp the details, my thoughts were distracted by another hooded figure entering the scene. Where the other two stood still, clothed in black this new on comer wore a stark white shroud.

"To show good faith to our recent partnership, one of our most esteemed members has volunteered to participate in tonight's ceremony," the mouthy Moroi boomed as he motioned towards the new player.

"Ceremony," I questioned to Grigory, my eyes still fixed below. He didn't answer, and his unnerving silence set me on edge. I suddenly realized this was no longer a show of humiliation. This was something bigger.

My eyes darted around the floor until I finally found Eddie. He was at the back of a crowd, trying to make his way to the front, but was held up by a group of drunken women clinging to his suit jacket. I could tell he was trying to find a balance between getting rid of them and not attracting attention but was struggling.

When he approached Arthur's side, the white-hooded Moroi dropped his cloak, causing his salt and pepper curls to bounce as the fabric fell to his shoulders. He began speaking in another language I didn't recognize. I did another quick scan of the room and realized that while many of the Moroi and Dhampir guests were becoming unsettled, others were entranced.

Arthur's eyes finally shifted from the floor, and amongst all the patrons in the crowd, they somehow found mine. Recognition sparked and I knew I had to do something. I started to move back from the rail, ready to bolt down the stairs but Arthur's eyes widened with the tiniest shake of his head. The recognition of my subtle movements made it obvious that he had completed his training and was already anticipating my intentions, but his eyes held me in place, pleading with me to stay put.

The older Moroi gradually knelt down beside him and panic began to rise in my chest. I could feel Grigory stiffen next to me. He was putting on a front that this was something he was okay with, but I could see through his haughty veil. He was scared. If he wanted to, Arthur could have yelled out to me or singled out Abe in the crowd, but something was stopping him. Something he knew was preventing him from giving up his source, and I could see in his eyes that giving ourselves away and falling into the same clutches was the last thing that he wanted.

The louder Moroi began speaking again, but I didn't hear a word he said. I kept my eyes fixed on Arthur's, refusing to look away. I at least owed him that.

The silver-haired Moroi moved his mouth towards Arthur's neck and the memory of Lissa's voice haunted my mind: _Let me show you_.

He sank his teeth into Arthur's skin, my eyes locked with the Dhampir's as he drank from the wound. A pang of horror and sickening jealousy surged through me at the familiarity of what that bite could do. Being in Lissa's head during the feeding had made me feel empowered, but watching a life drained before my eyes here, only increased my feelings of helplessness and hatred.

I held Arthur's gaze, being there for him the only way I could, until his eyes fluttered closed and he and the Moroi simultaneously fell limp to the floor. The room was silent as a crypt, all eyes glued to the two still bodies before us. After a few painstakingly slow moments, one of the bodies began to stir. A sharp intake of air echoed off the walls from some of the onlookers and the white-cloaked body rose with his back to the crowd.

The other two figures in black cloaks who had been perfectly still throughout the process finally lifted their arms to their hoods as Arthur's assailant gradually turned around; revealing three pairs of matching eyes. Eyes as red as Arthur's blood still staining the white marble, eyes that exposed themselves as carnivorous beasts, eyes that were pointed directly at me.

 _How many more were here?_

As if reading my thoughts, the Strigois' pale lips pulled up over their fangs into sinister smiles. I suddenly felt unsteady on my feet and took a stumbling step back, feeling strong hands wrap around my arm and pulling me back into the crowd.

* * *

 **A/N:** Confession time. I totally reshaped the second half of this story to fit this chapter in; specifically the dance scene. I heard "Work Song" a while back and to me, it is the ultimate Romitri song that desperately needed a part in this story.

If you haven't seen Hozier's music video you should definitely check it out. Not only is it amazing, but I derived some parts of the dance scene from it. Also, I know "Died in Your Arms" is the cheesiest song ever and I definitely don't see it being in Dimitri's top 10, but it had me dying picturing that playing in his mind as Rose walked into the room lol.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! RIP Arthur.


	21. Chapter 21

**Ch. 21**

 **APOV**

 **Songs: Never Wana Know by MO, Closer by Kings of Leon**

Rose was stunning on the dancefloor. It was no surprise that all eyes gravitated towards her as Belikov glided her across the slick marble. Her crimson dress whipped around them, drawing all the men's focus to her like a bull to a mariachi. But in actuality, Rose was the fierce Brahman beast ready to take on an assailant in a second's notice.

Every man in the room became green with envy and in those moments they looked like they would give anything to be in the Russian Guardian's place…including me.

At one time, the sight of the two of them in such a rapturous embrace would have stung almost as badly as one of their silver stakes driven to my chest. But their radiant auras brought me back to reality and reaffirmed the fact that they _belonged_ together. That's to say if she would stop being so goddamn stubborn.

I indulged in watching them dance for a few more moments before finally turning my back away and heading towards the outskirts of the party. Seeing them together in a normal, casual setting was one thing, but witnessing their emotional and physical connection in such a sensual way was another. I cherished the friendship we had built. Rose trusted me and sought me out when she needed me, but there was still a small part of me that wanted something more. A small part that I promptly scolded and tried to banish. Along my route I kept reciting the same thoughts in my mind to tame the rising jealousy in my gut: _He makes her happy. It's what's best for her. He completes her._

I sat down my almost full glass of champagne on a nearby table and made my way to the bar. A routine I had established throughout the night. I needed to appear I was still the same reckless party-boy that everyone assumed I was, but I wanted to keep a level head all the same. I lifted a finger at the bartender, signaling for another drink and propped my elbows up on the cool surface. The barkeep set my drink next to me and I took a small sip as I peered at Rose again. The music had faded and it appeared that dear old Grigory finally made his way over to her. I grinned, pleased to see that Zmey's plan had worked.

"Cheeky bastard," I murmured into my glass.

"Je vous demande pardon Monsieur?" The bartender looked at me confusedly.

"J'ai dit: excellente whiskey," I replied, bringing a polite smile to his face.

I nonchalantly strode away from the bar and set down the glass tumbler on one of the marble ledges. Casually leaning against a nearby column, I began searching for familiar auras. Rose was halfway up the stairs with Grigory by now and it was about time I made my way back over to Zmey to make sure we all had a good view of her "interrogation"—but before I could spot him, a faint whisper drifted into my ear.

" _Adrian,"_ the voice beckoned.

I peeked around to see who it had come from, but there was no one in sight. I thought maybe I had imagined it when, " _Adrian_ ," there it was again. I walked behind the white column and could see a soft light coming from a dark corridor. I wandered towards the atrium and the further I walked, the louder the voice grew, summoning me to it.

There was something painfully familiar about that voice, drawing me nearer and nearer. When I finally reached the source of the dim light, there was a large doorway slightly cracked. I leaned in to see if I could hear any voices, and when no one made themselves known I carefully pushed it open. The room appeared to be a quaint office featuring a large mahogany desk coupled with a few deep red leather couches and armchairs, a crackling fire in the corner giving off the only light. One of the walls was lined with books and I made my way over to it to get a closer look. As soon as I crossed the threshold, the door behind me slammed shut, causing me to leap about a foot in the air.

"What the—" I whipped around to see a shadowed silhouette standing near the door.

"I've been waiting for you to come find me," an elegant female voice uttered.

Damn, the girls at this party were more desperate than most. I cleared my throat to settle the last of my jolted nerves before speaking. "Listen, Miss, I'm very flattered and would normally be inclined to indulge in your assertive ploy, but I have some friends waiting for me. So if you don't mind," I started making my way towards the door before she spoke out again.

"Tsk tsk. Oh Adrian, still as cocky as ever. When will you finally learn that not _every_ girl is hoping to get into your pants?" She spoke more clearly this time and her voice sent chills down my spine. "I thought Rose would have rid you of that habit by now." She weaved out of the corner and stepped further into the glowing light.

"L—Lissa?" I was frozen in place as terror coursed through my veins. Her pale blonde hair glowed like the full moon next to the burning embers of the fireplace and her translucent skin looked as hard as the marble floors in the ballroom.

"Hello, cousin. I've missed you." It was strange hearing my old term of endearment snake off her tongue. Her face was still shadowed in the dim room and it was difficult to gage her expression. "Have you been enjoying yourself this evening?"

I gulped, unsure how to respond to her casual banter. "You could say that, I guess."

"Hmm," she turned towards one of the leather sofas and gracefully sat down, her white dress spilling over the edges of the cushions. "I find that hard to believe."

Lissa motioned me to the adjoining chair and I reluctantly walked over to it, my eyes wide as I slowly sat down across from her. "I was watching you out there, I could see you weren't your usual self."

"Maybe I've made some changes for the better," I replied.

"HA! That would be the day, wouldn't it?" Despite her amused words, her response was anything but.

I sat still. Wondering how to handle the situation. I selfishly wished Rose were here.

"Well, since you don't seem to be too keen on chatting, I'll get straight to the point." She lifted her hand and swiped a chunk of her silky hair over her shoulder. The movement caused the fire's orange glow to illuminate part of her face. Her eyes were still shadowed but I could see a small smile creeping up her cheeks. "I have a proposition for you."

"Is that so? And here I thought we had established that this wasn't that type of meeting," I nervously jested.

She let out a low chuckle and placed her hands on the arms of her chair. Her nails were longer than she used to keep them and instead of her usual baby pink manicure, she was sporting a dark, alluring red.

"These friends of yours—or so you call them—they don't take you seriously."

"Isn't that a catch of being me? No one does."

"I do," she deadpanned. "I always have, and you know that to be the truth."

I thought back to all the times she had coaxed me into trying harder. To not give up when I wanted to slam my head against the desk or pound a bottle of vodka. She was always my cheerleader as well as my coach.

I nodded. Agreeing without voicing my thoughts aloud. "There is more to you than they give you credit for. Everyone underestimates you because they are too weak to see the potential for greatness when it is hovering right in front of their faces. I am not weak," she leaned her head forward away from the chair. "Not anymore." Lissa brought her face fully into the light, finally revealing those red, tainted eyes.

I sank further into my seat, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. "I can make them see you. I can give you the tools you need to accomplish great power. The power we always dreamed of."

"That power was related to Spirit. Using our abilities to do good. Not for selfish indulgences," I reasoned.

"Spirit will drive you mad before you ever have a chance to reach its full potential. You know it as well as I do, and there's no way to stop it." I paled at her words, unable to form a justified argument. "Besides, I can give you more than just an end to the madness."

"And what's that?" At this point, I was just stalling. I had no interest in power, immortality, or anything else she could throw at me, but I had to construct a way to get out of here and keeping her talking was the only way to buy myself time to figure it out.

"I can give you Rose."

Her words halted my racing thoughts. "What?"

"I know how you still care about her. I can see it in your eyes." I looked down. Ashamed of myself for being so transparent. It was true, I did care about her immensely but I was starting to come to terms with her being with someone else. All I truly wanted was for her to be happy.

"She'll never be happy with him," my eyes shot up to Lissa. Had she read my thoughts, or was she just that good at reading me? "You can give her so much more."

Lissa lifted one of her palms off the couch and moved her fingers in a crawling motion. I simultaneously felt a light prickle in my mind as a vision began to form inside it. It was blurred at first and a little hazy, but there was no mistaking what it was. Rose. She was twirling around the dancefloor in that deep red dress, enraptured by her partner's embrace. But as the image sharpened, I realized this time it wasn't Belikov holding onto her waist—it was me. She smiled as I spun her around and pulled her close to me, my hand carefully moving up to touch her soft hair.

Suddenly the prickling stopped and the vision evaporated from my mind. I shook my head and looked back over to Lissa in disbelief. "What _was_ that?"

I felt like I had just woken from a dream, but everything was so much more real. Even more real than what I could produce in Spirit dreams. The feel of her velvet hair was still on my hands and my jacket emitted hints of her enchanting perfume.

"It's what your life could be. It's exactly what I can give you. All I ask is for one small favor in return."

"Yes..?" Curiosity got the better of me as my dazed response slipped out.

"Bring me Christian."

 **RPOV**

 **Song: Run by Awolnation**

I felt an initial wave of panic shoot through me as the grip on my arm tightened and pulled me away from the balcony. I thought one of the Strigoi hidden amongst the shadows had gotten the upper hand, but when I turned around to get a look at my assumed attacker, my worries vanished.

Dimitri.

He shoved his way through the panicked crowd, creating a pathway towards the front entrance. His stake was in his hand, warding off any of the _Mână_ groupies that dared threaten him. I could see a couple other Guardians huddling their charges behind them, bracing for an attack, while some Moroi just stood still in place, staring at the horrible scene we were leaving behind us. Dimitri lifted his hand to his ear as he spoke into his earpiece, yelling out orders and instructions to Eddie and Pavel. Something stopped him midsentence and before I could see around his tall form, his grasp on my arm released and he lunged forward towards an attacker.

I used the opportunity to throw off my high heels and fish out my stake hidden below the red silk fabric. As soon as it was free, I felt a cold hand brush my shoulder and I whipped around before it could take hold. I kicked out furiously at my assailant's stomach, his red eyes widening with surprise. Before he could compose himself I lunged my stake up at his hunched chest, driving the silver tip into his dead heart. I hovered over his body lying on the floor, not recognizing him as any of the others from the ballroom.

"Rose!" Dimitri's voice snapped my attention. "Move!"

I dashed towards him, hopping over another Strigoi's body left behind by Dimitri. The room was now in full chaos. So much was happening around us I couldn't tell who was on which side. My instincts were telling me to stop and fight, but I didn't know who I would be helping. We were only a couple yards away from the front doors and I could see our freedom just on the other side when three Strigoi stepped out into our path. One was almost as large as Dimitri and the other two were dressed in Guardian attire. This wasn't going to be an easy match.

Their snarling faces, meant to incite fear, only spurred me on and I prepared myself for a brutal attack. I looked deep into their crimson eyes, hatred boiling in my chest when suddenly, the blacks of their pupils flashed in waves of orange and white as hot flames enveloped their legs. Their screams echoed off the marble columns and they frantically shuffled around, trying to put out the scorching flames. Out of nowhere, Eddie flew at one of the Strigoi on the end, slashing his stake for the kill and Dimitri and I quickly followed suit.

The flames died as their bodies fell to the floor and Christian walked up beside us. "Let's go," he breathed.

We pushed through the enormous doors and stormed down the steps. I could see a faint trace of the sun beginning to rise in the distance and felt a pang of relief that everyone would be safe soon. Abe was waiting at the base of the entrance near a black SUV with Pavel in the driver's seat. He opened the door letting Christian and Eddie in when I paused to look around.

"Wait! Where's Adrian," I frantically searched the inside of the car.

"I thought he was with you," Christian motioned to Abe.

"I haven't seen him since Rose left with Szelsky."

"What?!" I shrieked at the two of them and slammed my hand against the car door. "We have to go back for him." I turned back towards the entrance and a hand immediately clung to my wrist.

"Rose, wait," Dimitri's worried voice accompanied his grip.

"No! I won't leave him behind." I glared at him, daring him to challenge me. He considered me for a split second before conceding and giving me an agreed nod. We both started moving towards the stairs we had just barreled down when Eddie spoke out, motioning to the other end of the building. "Guys, look!"

We whipped our heads in the direction he was pointing at to see a disheveled Adrian jogging towards us. I raced over to meet him, flinging my arms around his neck. "Umph," he let out a grunt as my body slammed into his.

"Thank god you're alright," I whispered. His arms carefully wrapped around my back and gave me a tight hug.

"Don't worry, Little Dhampir. It'll take a lot more than a few Strigoi to get rid of me." He pulled back and gave my hand a firm squeeze. "Come on. We gotta go."

We all piled into the SUV and as soon as the doors closed, Pavel peeled out of the gravel driveway.

"Where were you?", "How did you get out?" Eddie and Christian fired at Adrian.

"There was a service entrance at the back. When I heard all the commotion I made my way out and headed for the front." Adrian's offhand response didn't seem to win Christian over and he eyed him skeptically. I could tell another question was on the tip of Chris' tongue but before he could ask the car jerked and our bodies slammed to the right.

Dimitri was in the front seat pointing at the road ahead. "Take your next left here," he directed.

We all quieted down so they could concentrate on getting us out of that literal hellhole behind us. I turned around and could see a few others starting to flee the building, but wondered how many were still inside by force—or by choice.

 **Eva POV**

 **Songs: Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole by Martha Wainwright, Heaven Knows by The Pretty Reckless**

 _Growing up with the Salvatori had been—interesting. To say the least. When they first arose, they were basically mercenaries who followed St. Vladimir as disciples, healing and restoring our kind through his teachings of Spirit magic. During the dark ages, many of them had been wiped out by the enemy, snubbing us out before we had a chance to restore their kind back to their natural state. Now, we were mostly renegade Spirit users hiding our abilities from the Royal Court and practicing in secret until we were strong enough to accomplish our true goals._

 _My mother, Elara, and sister, Josette, were leaders of our faction. Before I was born, our home had been invaded by Strigoi. Elara had once told me my father was a great warrior, one of the most elite Guardians of his time. Well, not actually my father. That yellow bastard never treated Elara well and left us when Josette was just over three—my mom newly pregnant. The man she and Josette claimed as our father was her Guardian, Kristof. She had saved him years prior when some punk had tried to mug them. After trying to calm the nervous kid down, he was accidentally shot and badly wounded. He bled out in minutes, leaving no time for an ambulance to arrive, but Elara brought him back. They built a strong bond over the years, and the only good thing my mother's piece of shit husband ever did for us was leave, allowing her and Kristof to finally act on their true feelings and be together. Though short-lived, Josette recalls those last months as the happiest times of their lives._

 _Elara told me how dedicated he was to watching over us and vowed to keep us safe. But even all his strength and years of experience were no match for the numbers they descended upon us. He sacrificed himself and held them back while my pregnant mother and Josette escaped. Not many Strigoi still knew of our kind and the abilities we possessed, but those who did—were ancient, powerful, and ruthless. They would do anything to snub us out and prevent us from rising up again and helping the Guardians defeat their kind once and for all._

 _Elara lost her bondmate that night, and if it weren't for us it would have nearly killed her. I spent my early childhood fleeing from town to town. We never stayed in one place for too long for fear that the Strigoi would find us again. Eventually, we started to run out of options and my mother became desperate for refuge. That's when she met Abe Mazur._

 _She had heard there was a man called Zmey that would barter favors for secrets, and secrets were the only things we had to give. Elara was the least trusting person I had ever known, which just goes to show how desperate she truly was. I remember the first time I looked into the serpent's eyes._

 _My mother had warned Josette and me to stay out of his mind, for fear of retaliation if he should find out, but after she told him what we could do and why it was important we stay hidden, he asked for a demonstration. Josette quickly read his thoughts and spoke of a baby with dark hair and darker eyes. Her a name and face as sweet as a flower._

 _Zmey's eyes flashed with shock and awe, his tall Guardian watching him with concern. Then, he looked to me. I was only seven at the time, Josette four years older, but my powers were strong. He lifted his hand in the air, eyes still fixed on me, as vines from the plant behind his desk began crawling towards me. They grew at a menacing speed and launched at me, but just before they reached my small body I halted them. I could see sweat forming on Zmey's brow as he put more effort into his magic. I held the green foliage in place, keeping them still in the air, before finally sinking them to the floor and disintegrating them to wilted rot—or so he thought in his mind._

 _Zmey practically collapsed against his desk and his Guardian rushed to his side, sharp eyes like daggers fixed at the three of us. The Moroi mobster raised his hand, signaling that he was alright and looked down at me again. "Child. Can you do this with every element?"_

" _Earth and air," I responded confidently. "But I haven't had much practice with water and fire yet."_

" _I see," Zmey stroked his beard. "Well, we will have to make sure that you do."_

 _I smiled at his offer and my mother tucked me against her body. "The magic has a price," Elara spoke out._

 _Zmey nodded in understanding and replied, "As does everything else in our world."_

 _We stood there silently while he engaged in a hushed conversation with his Guardian, hoping we had done well enough to convince him. When he finally spoke up my body jerked from anticipation of the sound._

" _I know a place that will take you in. I have heard rumors that they house others like you, but have never been permitted to enter myself. They are very…_ selective _of who crosses their gates. However, I believe you are just the type of people to gain admittance." He rustled a few pages on his desk and picked up his phone to make a call. "Pavel here will escort you, along with a few others of my personal guard, and will make sure that you are kept safe."_

" _Thank you. Thank you, sir. You don't know how much this means to us," Elara expressed._

" _Actually, I do," the serpent replied. He rose from his chair with a serious look that sent chills up my arms. "I will keep your secret, and maintain your family's and the facility's protection. But in exchange, favors will be owed. And when I come to collect, there will be no arguments."_

 _My mother stood frozen for a moment, questions appeared to be racing through her mind. Looking back, she was probably weighing our options, but it was just as clear now as it was then that we had no other options. "I understand."_

 _The Salvatori willingly took us in, and Zmey delivered on his promise. Our community was well hidden, protected by extensive wards, and kept secret from the Royal Court. Not even the Alchemist were privy to our location, or even existence, for fear of anyone turning and letting out our whereabouts to their Strigoi brethren. Josette and I trained side by side, refining our current skills and picking up on new ones whenever we could. Her and Elara eventually took on leadership roles and gained respect from our other community members, but I preferred to stay on the sidelines. We had been taught a variety of ways to take away some of the side effects that came with using too much Spirit, but the methods didn't always work on me._

 _There were nights where my rage would completely take over and the only solitude I could find was in staking dummies in the abandoned shed that we had converted into a gym. I would come back to our quarters, red hair matted to my face and blood seeping out from my knuckles, only to be greeted by reprimanding from Elara._

" _You need to slow down Eva. You're using too much power. It's not healthy for you." The same argument I had heard a thousand times. I had become an expert at ignoring her scolding lectures and nodded robotically in response._

 _The other Salvatori regarded me with caution. I was an outsider even amongst my own kind. Well, to everyone except Josette. She never told me to slow down or hold back. She understood as much as I did, if not more, why I needed to keep pushing. Josette had witnessed the monsters that invaded our home and stole our father from us. We both felt a burning desire to avenge him and would stop at nothing to uphold our promise to each other._

 _Still, despite all the training and all the preparation, nothing primed me for the feeling of staking a Strigoi. The first time was a rush of every emotion imaginable. Hatred and disgust for the creature before me, unrelenting power as I drove my stake into her chest, warmth and unimaginable thrill as the magic poured out of me and into her, and deep-rooted depression as she screamed out in agony for all the souls she had diminished. I'd like to say it got better with time, but that would be a lie. Each transformation took a toll on my body and soul._

 _But not as much as Josette. Because of her power over the mind, as they turned she could feel their pain. She could see the faces of all those men, women,_ children _that they tortured and bled dry. She described it as their guilt and torment leaching into her and clutching onto her insides like a poisonous weed. Growing up, we wanted nothing more than to save every lost soul we came across, and in a way I still did. But now, I also feared what it would eventually do to Josette. When would it finally be too much to bear and I would find her trapped in all their combined guilt and madness with no way to break out?_

 _At night, I would wake up to the sounds of her soft weeping as she tossed and turned in her restless sleep. When she was out in front of the others, she was the epitome of strength. But in her sleep, her terrors seeped through and invaded her dreams. Sometimes I would hover over her and try to take some of the dark thoughts away, but it would cause her to wake and she'd rebuke me for wasting my abilities on things that didn't matter._

" _Save it for_ them _," she'd glare at me in the dark._

 _When Zmey finally approached us to collect his favor, Elara did as promised and agreed without argument. He needed someone to go with him on a mission to help a group of runaways bring back the last Dragomir Princess. It sounded glamorous and sensational coming off the serpent's shrewd tongue, but we all knew what it really meant. Imminent danger._

 _Josette had by far the most experience and skill with transformations than any of the other Salvatori and was immediately offered up for the role. My mother made her some extra charms for the road, to keep the side effects at bay, but even she wasn't privy to the damage that Josette's magic truly caused._

" _Jo, you can't go. You have to tell Elara. Someone else can do it," I pleaded with my sister._

" _Don't even start. You know that we owe him, it's not right to send someone else in our place. I'll be fine." She kept her back to me as she packed her things into a small suitcase resting on her bed. Even though she was putting effort towards hiding her aura, I could tell she was just as worried as I was._

" _What if they find out? What if they come after you? I can't lose you, Jo!" I ran over to her bed and slammed her suitcase shut. We had never been separated and it was killing me to put my trust in someone else to have her back._

" _Eva," her soothing voice cooed. "I have to do this. You don't have to trust them, you just have to trust me." I hated when she read my thoughts._

 _She placed her hand lovingly on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "Besides, we still have a promise to uphold. I won't stop until we find him and set him free. This journey might be an opportunity to get some information from the outside."_

" _But if Elara would just—"_

" _You know she can't do that," Josette interrupted. "She used most of her magic to put up a permanent block when he was turned and if she takes it down for even a second there's no telling if she'll be able to get it back up. He'll be able to find us before we can find him."_

 _I looked to the floor defeated, already missing Jo even though she was still there beside me. "I'm scared," I admitted. "I know you don't want to tell anyone, but I can see what it's doing to you. What if this is really it? The transformation that finally breaks you?"_

 _She stood there still, taking in my hushed words. "It won't."_

 _I opened my mouth to speak again, but she held up a finger to her mouth then pointed to the door as a shadow crept across the hall. "Go on now, get some rest. I'll be leaving in the morning and want to see you bright-eyed before I go; not pissed off because the alarm woke you up too early. That's an order," she teased as she pushed her forehead against mine. I smiled and made my way over to my bed._

 _Later that night, I woke up to her soft wails again as the visions began tearing at her mind. My heart sank into my stomach and my worry grew more and more as I pictured her falling slowly into madness. I looked over to the nightstand to see the piece of parchment containing Abe's phone number and meeting location. I deftly crawled out of bed and went over to my dresser to grab a change of clothes. I reached into the back of my dresser drawer and pulled out a tin can containing a photo of Elara sitting with Josette and a tall, strong man gazing down at them lovingly, a tender hand resting on my mother's protruding belly. I gave it one last longing look and gently put it back into its safe hiding place before reaching further down to retrieve my stake. I grabbed the silver charms my mother had made along with Josette's suitcase. Most of her clothes would be too long on me, but it was better than nothing at all and it gave me comfort that I would have a part of her with me. I stood still for a moment, gazing down at her tossing form and held out my hand above her. I trickled the tiniest bit of magic to soothe her but held back on the full amount so she wouldn't wake. Her brow started to loosen and her shoulders seemed slightly less tense._

" _I love you, Jo," I whispered into the dark. "I won't let you down."_

 _Before I could change my mind I snatched the parchment off the nightstand and headed out the door, a rush of excitement and fear flowing through my veins._

I sat in Mazur Manor, impatiently waiting for them to return. I hated being left behind almost as much as I hated fancy parties. The thought of someone trying to put a brush through my unruly hair and squeeze me into a tight dress brought an uncontrollable grimace to my face.

I considered going downstairs to the Guardian gym Pavel had shown me to practice my strikes and pass the time, but I had already gone this morning and didn't want to wear myself out in case they actually succeeded in bringing the Princess back. My anxiously tapping foot was on the verge of putting a hole into the tiled floor as I tried to do anything to distract myself from thinking of my family.

"Fuck it!" I jumped off the couch, finally conceding to the fact that another workout was better than doing absolutely nothing when suddenly, the front door flew open. I crouched down and grabbed my stake, ready to pounce until familiar voices made their way into the room.

Zmey had his phone glued to his ear speaking rapidly in Turkish and the others filed in behind. Eddie and Dimitri's suit jackets were missing, their stakes in hand. Rose's dress was tattered at the bottom and had a jagged slit up the side that wasn't there before. Chris strode over to me with a worried look on his face and Adrian stood quietly off to the side, his arms crossed protectively around his torso.

"Uh, what happened to you guys," I asked.

* * *

 **A/N:** Okay, I know this break was a little random/not ideal, but the chapter would have been way too long if I didn't stop here. Also, with some Eva POVs coming up it was important to get a good chunk of her backstory out in the open. Hope you like her so far!

Salvatori Translation – the saviors


	22. Chapter 22

**Ch. 22**

 **Eva POV**

 **Songs: Full Moon by The Black Ghosts**

"Eva, did anyone try to come in here? Have you seen anyone drive by?" Christian's voice was frantic and breathy, all his usual sarcasm completely gone.

"No. There hasn't been anyone." I looked over each of them curiously, taking in their disheveled states.

Christian let out a relieved sigh then looked down to the stake in my hand. His gaze rose up to mine again with a questioning brow and I just shrugged my shoulders in response.

"Good. That means we have just under an hour to vacate," Pavel instructed, seemingly coming out of nowhere. _How the hell did he do that?_

I kept quiet, waiting for Zmey to instruct me what to do. He shut his phone off and slipped it into his pocket. "Arrangements are set. Grab what you need and meet out front in no more than 20 minutes," he announced to the room.

That was all I needed to hear. I raced upstairs and grabbed the few items I brought with me on the journey. I was slightly disappointed we were leaving this place. It was the nicest home I had ever been in—luxurious was definitely an understatement. I still wasn't sure what was going on but knew Christian would eventually fill me in. We seemed to get along well enough. He wasn't what you would call deep. I actually liked that about him. He blatantly spoke whatever was on his mind and didn't hide behind a mask or games. I could count on him to say what needed to be said. Adrian, however, was a whole different story. His posh clothes and laissez-faire attitude bothered me; not to mention the fact that his potential skills were untamed and being completely wasted.

From my understanding, the Dragomir Princess had been working with him on honing their Spirit magic, but I couldn't see why losing her would cause him to stop trying to better himself. I considered offering a couple lessons to him, but thought back to a time when a newcomer of the Salvatori pissed me off and I almost drowned him in his own water spell. Yeah, I was definitely not the tutor/mentor type.

I made my way out to the garage in just under 15 minutes and waited for the rest of the motley crew to rear their heads. To my surprise, Adrian was the first one out. He seemed distracted and was nervously running a hand through his hair. Finally noticing my presence, he jolted back a little then quickly averted his gaze to the ground.

Something was off.

Usually, he would try to strike up a friendly conversation, which was quickly rebuffed on my part, or "discretely" fish for information, but he was being peculiarly quiet. He brusquely walked to the back of the opposite SUV I was standing near and threw his expensive duffel into the trunk. I cautiously made my way over to him and asked, "Everything alright?"

His hands were raised above his head, holding onto the trunk of the car and he looked at me with emotion that I had never seen cross his features. Granted, I had only known Adrian for about a week, but he seemed like the type of person who didn't get rattled easily. He opened his mouth about to say something when a noise from behind me disrupted him. I turned around to see Chris enter the room before turning back to Adrian, awaiting his response.

"Fine," he said, slamming the trunk shut.

One-word response? Yep. Something was definitely off. That guy liked to talk more than anyone I had ever met.

Adrian walked around to the other side of the car as Christian approached and avoided our confused gazes. I decided to give him some space before I got the details of what had happened. "So, are you going to fill me in or what," I whispered to Christian.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you on the way," he threw his bag into the trunk and opened the car door for me to get in. It annoyed me how polite all these boys were. I was fully capable of getting my own car doors, carrying my own bags, and fighting my own battles.

The rest of the group quickly followed behind us, Dimitri and Pavel getting behind the wheels of each car—of course. Did they ever let anyone else drive? Rose hopped in the front seat next to Dimitri with me and Christian in the back; Adrian silently elected to ride in the other car with Pavel, Abe, and Eddie.

As soon as we were off the property I turned to Christian, signaling I was ready for him to start telling me what the hell was going on. He let out an exhausted sigh and laid it all out. When he got to the part about the Dhampir guy being bitten by one of the hosts of the party, Rose flinched and muttered from the front seat, "His name was Arthur."

"You knew him," Dimitri questioned Rose, causing her to look down to her lap shamefully. I guess that was a yes.

Dimitri let a worried look slip out before turning his attention back to the road ahead. That guy was such a mystery. Through his aura, I could see his obvious feelings for Rose, not just concern— something deeper—but everything else about him was an enigma. He reminded me of the moon. Part of him was always hidden away.

There were other ways for me to get information. My skills weren't nearly as advanced as Josette's, but with a good amount of effort I could get some details out here and there. I normally tried to avoid using my abilities to get a read on people, especially without their permission, but Dimitri was one person that tempted me to find out more.

Christian drew my attention back to him as he finished telling me the rest of the details of the evening. When he was done, I finally asked, "And Adrian witnessed all of this too?"

"I don't know. I didn't see him until we got to the car," Christian replied skeptically.

"Why? Did he say something," Rose whipped around, her attention suddenly drawn to our conversation.

I just stared at her expressionless in response. It was no secret we still weren't too fond of one another yet, and I wasn't about to play chummy with her now.

I could see Dimitri peering at me through the rearview mirror, he seemed to be consistently keeping one eye on me, and so I decided to move the conversation in a different direction. One that might get him talking. "Why didn't you stay and fight? I thought you Guardians lived by some motto about putting the Moroi first."

They sat silent for a moment before Christian finally piped up. "Eva, it wasn't—"

"We do," Dimitri interrupted. "But right now, Lissa is the priority. If we stayed, it would've been a lost cause and we would never reach her. Part of being a Guardian is knowing when to fight, and knowing when to run."

Rose stared at him with admiration and when he turned to look at her, the two seemed to share a silent conversation. My temptation to listen into his thoughts grew even more, but I decided to let them hold onto what little privacy they had.

"Lissa really means more to you than any of the other Moroi there you could have saved?" I removed all sense of malice from my tone and spoke softly so that they understood it was just genuine curiosity and not an accusation.

"Yes," Rose and Christian answered in unison.

The rest of the ride was quiet. We drove for a little over an hour. Where Zmey's mansion had been secluded in a green, more rural area of Paris, it appeared our new destination was right in the heart of it. I had spent my life traveling from one small town to the next, never seeing anything of much importance, but since I enlisted with Zmey, I had witnessed miraculous sites that I had only ever seen in books and the occasional movie. I tried to hide the awe on my face as we passed one spectacular monument to the next, not wanting the others to see how inexperienced I was.

The car in front of us finally slowed to a stop outside an ornate hotel and Dimitri followed suit. The cream-colored building sat between a string of other similar structures, but the mass amount of tall windows and gold paned balconies made it stand out. As we walked up to the hotel's entrance, I was glad to see it was slightly overcast, which seemed to be a common occurrence in France. Once inside, it became apparent that the windows were tinted from the outside. We were able to see the busy streets and passersby without the emission of light or their knowledge of us watching. A slender woman with auburn hair slicked back into a tight bun scurried over to us.

"Monsieur Mazur," she greeted breathlessly. "All is as you requested. The rooms have been emptied and only a select few staff members are present."

"Thank you, Louise. Our guests are very weary from their trip. Won't you be a dear and show them to their rooms?" He flashed her his snaky smile and she nodded in return, emitting a tightlipped smile to show off her dimpled cheeks.

"Viens, this way," she motioned for us to follow. The hotel housed about 20 rooms, somewhat fewer than I would have expected, but when we entered them I understood why. They were enormous. We were all placed on the same floor with individual rooms, some connected and others standing alone. Zmey took one at the end of the hall on the corner lot. I only got a small glimpse into it before he shut the door behind him, but it seemed to go on forever. Walking into my suite I felt a pang of guilt rush through me that I was getting to experience this instead of Josette, but I quickly reminded myself why. It wasn't safe for her and even though she was my older sister, I knew I had to protect her.

Once we were settled Zmey ordered some feeders to the rooms for the other Moroi, but I refused. Growing up on the run, then with the Salvatori, I had gotten used to drinking from a blood bag. Feeders meant strangers, and strangers meant trouble. Zmey knew this. He had been supplying the blood to our community for quite some time after all. Eventually, Louise came to my room with a couple of bags, and I was grateful for it—not that I would let the serpent know that.

It bothered me that he knew so much about me when I knew close to nothing about him. It seemed to be that way with most people he associated with.

After a while, I decided it would be best to try and get some sleep. I wasn't nearly as tired as the others, but I needed to keep my strength up for what was to come.

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Fortunate Son by Cat Power, Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 1 – Pink Floyd**

The bed was too soft. I had been tossing and turning all day and couldn't fall asleep. Maybe it was the lack of Dimitri's warm body next to me. Or maybe it was the thought of lying here in luxury while those we left behind were either lying in a coffin or trapped in immortal darkness.

The image of Arthur's oozing neck and hollow eyes burned into my vision as soon as my eyelids closed. I tossed the comforter off of me and threw one of the plush pillows across the room, finally giving up on trying to sleep. I resisted the urge to scream out into the empty room, and angrily stomped over to my suitcase instead. I rummaged through it, creating even more chaos in my already disorganized bag, and pulled out some clean clothes. It seemed like everything I owned was quickly becoming coated in blood. Blood of my enemies. Blood of my friends. The blood of strangers that didn't deserve to die. Assiduous red stains refusing to let me forget or move on.

After changing, I stormed out of my room towards the end of the hall. When I approached the door, I paused a moment to collect myself. I wasn't going to get any answers screaming and throwing a fit, although every fiber of my body was fighting against calmness. I clenched my fist and knocked on the door, still a little too firmly to resemble any kind of friendliness but at least my fist didn't shoot through the wooden barrier.

I heard some rustling from the other side before the clanking of the lock as it released. Pavel cracked the door open, checking behind me to see if I was alone. "I need to talk to the old man," I demanded.

Pavel's eyes furrowed at my abrasive tone and he stood a little taller. My demeanor was most certainly coming off as threatening, but I was doing my best. "You can let me in, or I can force my way in. I'd prefer the easy way, but after the night I've had I'm not opposed to handing someone their ass."

Pavel let out a small grunt to suppress a smirk forming on his face, but the look I gave him in return most definitely made him wish he hadn't. "Pavel. Let the girl in," Abe's voice called from the room.

He obediently moved to the side, pulling the door with him. I took another calming breath, realizing I was still shooting daggers at the complacent Guardian and entered Abe's suite. It was enormous, and I didn't even fight the urge to roll my eyes at its extravagance. He was seated behind a large desk topped with an assortment of papers strewn across it. To my left was an open door connecting to a modest room, most likely Pavel's. He never strayed too far from Abe's side.

Pavel sat in one of the many lavish chairs in the corner of the room, no longer seeing me as a threat, as I made my way over to Abe. I plopped down on the cushioned chair across from him and waited for him to look up from one of the documents he was examining. "I was wondering when you would make your way over," his eyes continued to roam over the contents in front of him as he spoke.

"I need answers," I deadpanned, not in the mood for his ambiguous games. He looked up at me, sensing the seriousness in my tone, and set down the crinkled papers on his desk.

"And what is it exactly you are looking for?" There was something new in his familiar eyes, a glint of hopefulness as he waited for my questions. _Was there something specific he wanted me to ask?_

"I need to know everything Arthur told you. Whatever information was so important that by giving it to you, he lost his life."

That hopefulness quickly vanished, and he sat still for a moment, considering whether or not he wanted to reveal this undisclosed intel. He let out a small sigh and clasped his hands together on the desk, "Yes. That was very unfortunate. Mr. Banks had been an associate of mine for several years. He was a good man and did not deserve to go out that way."

"What are you saying? That he was a Guardian," I asked.

"You could say that. I recruited him several years ago when I helped him out of some bad deals. He was never a sanctioned Guardian, he dropped out before his official ceremony due to unfortunate circumstances with his headmaster, but his skills were impeccable." The information stunned me silent. I caught a sense that Arthur had at least some training, but for Abe to mention his skills at that level told me I had highly underestimated him. "I caught wind of some elusive activity at Zavlekat' and had him working undercover for me there for the past couple of months," Abe continued. "He had been providing us information on the Mână's activities and possible motives."

"What interest in the Mână do you have?" From what Dimitri and Eddie had told me, Abe was a businessman and rumored gangster. So why would he have someone spying on a group of cocky Royals?

"I heard rumors that they were possibly working with a particular group of…ahem, _people_ ," he stumbled over the terminology, "that I have spent many years keeping secrets from."

"What kind of secrets," I interrupted.

"Secrets that I plan on keeping." Abe's tone emanated finality, and it was easy to tell there was no budging. I was about to argue, but his stern glare suddenly made me feel like a scorned child. "Anyway," he sat back in his seat and returned to a more relaxed position, and I found myself letting out a small breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Arthur relayed a lot of pertinent information, but it still wasn't enough to confirm my suspicions. I am working on a way to gather enough evidence to bring the transgressions of these factions to court, but I need hard proof."

"Proof?! You have it! What they did at the ball goes against our laws and morality for crying out loud," I was practically yelling at this point and I could see Pavel go rigid in the corner of the room.

Abe let out a dejected sigh and rubbed his right temple with two of his fingers. It was then I noticed the dark circles under his eyes and wondered again why this was affecting him so much. "I wish it were that easy, Rose, but by now they have most likely compelled or convinced others that it was a Strigoi attack rather than foul play. Do you honestly think the Moroi Council would take the word of renegade Dhampirs and a couple Moroi boys over that of elite Royals?"

"Adrian is the Queen's nephew." I was pulling at strands to try and come up with a solution. "She would listen to him."

Abe looked at me like he was sympathizing with a naïve child. "I'll admit, Lord Ivashkov has proven to be greater than his reputation suggests but unfortunately, that is the only view he has at court. Even with his influence, it won't be enough. However," he paused for a moment and leaned into the desk again gaging my reaction at his next words. "Your friend Vasilisa will have in-depth knowledge of their plans and locations. Her first-hand testimony coupled with other hard evidence will give us what we need. But one without the other may not work."

I thought about this for a second. Even though he wasn't giving me all the details, he had just insinuated that the so-called "people" he was keeping secrets from associated with Strigoi. Strigoi directly connected to Lissa. "So, that's why you're helping us? To get to Lissa," I criticized.

"Hmm, that particular part turned out to be a welcome coincidence," his snaky smile started to form. "But no. That's not why I initially took your Russian companion's offer."

"Then why else?" I was growing more and more impatient. It was a question he had been avoiding since we met, and I suddenly felt a deep, incessant urge to know.

He held his position, elbows on the desk and hands clasped with his smile growing bigger by the second. "Because your mother asked me."

 _My mother?_ I knew she had gotten him in contact with Dimitri, but why would he go through all this trouble just because she asked him to? You would think if anything she would have told him to find me and send my ass straight back to the Academy. "And how is that you know my mother exactly?"

"We've known each other for quite some time," he ruminated. "Long before you were born. But we've been…out of touch, you could say, for a while."

"Ugh, you and your vague responses. Don't you ever give a straight answer? Or is that part of the whole allure of being _Zmey_?"

The more annoyed I grew; the more amused Abe became. Which only infuriated me more. "Well, if you want straight answers, maybe you should speak to your mother."

"Ha! And I thought you said you knew Janine Hathaway," I protested. "She is the least open person I have ever met. I'd have better luck scaling the Eiffel Tower undetected than getting any information about her past out of her."

He looked to his window with a clear view of the monument and let out a small laugh, "That, my dear, would not surprise me." _Did he just give me some twisted form of a compliment?_ "Besides," he said knowingly. "You two are more alike than you think."

I rolled my eyes for the second time since entering his room. "Hate to break it to you, old man but I'm pretty sure a mean right hook is the only thing me and my mother have in common." I felt my eye twitch a little at the memory of our family talk turned sparring match.

Abe looked at me curiously for a moment, obviously not understanding the full meaning of my screwed up inside joke. "Well, Rose if it's alright with you I think it's best we put a pin in this conversation and pick back up after I've had some rest. It's well past midday and I'd like at least a few hours of sleep before you start plotting your next grand scheme."

"Need I remind you the last plan was your idea," I critically pointed out. "My plans might be crazy, but at least they work…well, most of the time." Abe flashed another crooked smile and I stood to leave. I flashed a salute to Pavel in the corner and called out, "At ease," as I headed out the door. I started to make my way back to my room but knew sleep still wasn't going to be an option. So, I opted for the next best thing and began walking downstairs towards the gym.

 **Eva POV**

 **Songs: Raise Hell by Brandi Carlile, Personal Jesus by Marilyn Manson**

It was early, too early, but guilty thoughts of my family were creeping into my dreams and I couldn't sleep anymore. I decided to check out the hotel instead. I hoped it would help distract me from the dark anxiety haunting me.

As I quietly made my way down the hall, it appeared the majority of the group was still asleep but making my way towards the stairs, I thought I heard the sound of a door creaking open at the end of the corridor. Zmey's room most likely. Peering around the corner I caught a flash of long dark hair whipping into the room just as the door shut. I considered stopping and attempting to eavesdrop on any conversation they might be having but kept towards my original goal instead.

When I arrived at the gym, it looked like I wasn't the only one with the idea. The sounds of grunting and a faint smell of sweat tipped me off first. I slunk through the door, wanting to get a look at who was down there before they discovered me. I spotted two male Dhampir's and from the looks of it, they were alone.

Dimitri's skills were obviously superior to Eddie's, but Castile was still holding his own. He would no doubt stand strong against the Strigoi. I had to admit, I was slightly impressed as I watched them spar. It didn't last too long though. After another couple minutes, the match was over when Dimitri got the upper hand and pulled Eddie in for a headlock.

He quickly released him as soon as Eddie tapped his elbow. They stood in place chatting for a bit, and I slowly made my way into the room to try and get a better listen. It appeared that Dimitri was giving Eddie some pointers on how to improve, but their conversation unexpectedly veered in another direction.

"I should have tried harder to get to him. I should have done more to save him. He didn't deserve to die like that." I could only assume Eddie was talking about the Dhampir they had seen killed at the ball last night.

"You did the right thing, Eddie," Dimitri calmly replied. "We were already outnumbered and there's no telling how many more were there." He seemed less like a detached Guardian/teacher at that moment, and more like a friend to his younger companion. "You took care of your charge and got Christian out safe. And you two certainly helped us out at the front door with that surprise attack."

Eddie let out an amused huff. "Yeah right. You and Rose could have taken them."

Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest and looked up contemplatively as if he was assessing the situation. "Hmm, maybe."

Eddie grinned and shook his head, clearly not believing him but appreciating the gesture all the same.

"Now, shall we try again?" Dimitri dropped his arms and took a few steps back, sinking down into an offensive pose.

"Might I have a go," I called out to them, tired of hiding on the sidelines. They both whipped their heads towards me, no doubt surprised that it was me the request belonged to.

"I, uh," Eddie nervously scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know if I could take a swing at a Moroi." Well, at least he didn't say _girl_.

"Not you, pansy," I huffed as I picked up one of the wooden practice stakes from the ground. " _Him_." I pointed its tip at Dimitri, taking another few steps forward. Eddie's eyes widened, and the Russian just stood there completely emotionless.

"You think you're up for the challenge, Belikov?" I met his gaze with intensity to show him I was serious. Eddie alternated looks between the two of us before putting his hands up in surrender and slowly backing away.

I took his place in the position he was standing and crouched down to show Dimitri I was ready.

"You might want to pull your hair back," he said, looking at me speculatively. My disobedient hair was always in and out of my face. I was used to it by now. I knew Dimitri didn't really mean much by it and was just trying to help me out, but I couldn't resist a jab.

"Why, are you going to pull it?"

"No." Straight-faced and surly as ever. Did this guy ever smile?

I waited for him to finally make a move, but when it looked like he was only going to play on the defense, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I knew he was probably used to sparring with someone my size after fighting with Rose, so I decided to do the unexpected and instead of going low—went straight for his pretty face. He blocked my attack easily, but I could tell it threw him off the tiniest bit.

I tested him with another few jabs and kicks. "Come on, fight back," I shouted, but he only moved and blocked, not even attempting to throw a punch at me. His skills were beyond impressive and even his blocks held enough power to nearly knock me over, but after a couple of minutes, my patience wore out and I went for something more… _drastic_. I feigned left with a bow and a knee, drawing his attention away from my right arm, before swinging it across his face, slapping him with the back of my hand. I knew it was a bitch move, but I had to do something to hopefully piss him off and make him throw a decent punch.

The cracking sound reverberated off the gym walls and I heard a sharp intake from Eddie on the sideline. Dimitri's nostrils slightly flared, the only sign that my disgraceful move had any effect on him, and he reached back to finally throw a punch. I should have let him. Especially after what I had just done. Just one attempt at a hit to soothe his ego, but this is what I had been waiting for.

He moved with incredible speed, so much so that I almost didn't have time to catch him. But just before his fist collided with my chest, it halted mid-air as if hitting an invisible wall. I stood there perfectly still as his eyes darted from his fist to my face, stupefied as to what was happening. I held him in place, frozen like a granite statue of a Greek god in the midst of battle. Droplets of sweat pooled on his brow as he tried to fight against it, but he was no match for me. Not on this front.

I held him for one more instant before simultaneously dropping my hold and whipping around to his side. His fist flung through the air, pulling his body with it and I yelled out in a valiant battle cry as I stabbed him in the back with my wooden stake.

He stood still, confused and slightly dazed with my stake pressed to his back. I dropped it down to my side and Dimitri let out a small breath.

"How—the hell—did you do that?" I looked over Dimitri's broad shoulder at Eddie wearing a dumbfounded look. I couldn't help but smile at that face and walked around Dimitri towards him.

"It's all in the mind," I pointed the wooden stake to my skull. "Dhampirs are easy, brute force and all. Magic is somewhat trickier." Dimitri scoffed from behind me at my accidental slight. I didn't look down on Dhampirs, quite the opposite really. I admired them. But facts were facts. Magic was much more difficult to control, especially for longer periods of time.

"Red," Eddie chuckled, "you are a secret badass."

I laughed with him and moved around to face Dimitri in the center of the room, this time between the two of them.

"Shall we try again?" I looked over at him with a mocking smirk. Eddie let out another laugh and took position behind me, preparing for a new match.

A thunderous noise echoed through the room as the door to the gym slammed shut.

Rose.

"Why don't you leave big bad Belikov alone and pick on someone your own size."

Her voice had a sing-song note to it, but I could tell she was deadly serious. I knew Rose has been dying to fight me since we first met. In a reasonable fight, I could most likely take her; even after seeing my advantage she still wouldn't be able to get the upper hand. But if I was being honest with myself—I was scared. The darkness in her aura was beyond anything I had ever seen and if she knew how to properly harness it, there's no telling what kind of raw, unstoppable power she could unleash. Rose could rip my throat out in a split second before the thought even registered in her mind, and I would be powerless to stop her.

I tossed the practice stake and headed for the door, brushing her shoulder as I passed by. "Maybe next time then," she called out from behind me.

"Sure," I lied as pushed through the doors, hoping she would continue mistaking my uneasiness towards her as disdain.

* * *

 **A/N:** A lot of you have been wondering what the heck is up with Abe. Hopefully, these last two chapters shed a little light on his intentions. Now that we have gotten a good amount of insight from Eva, next chapter you'll get a POV from someone we haven't heard from in a while. As always, thanks for reading! Y'all are awesome!

Also, the VA Does Disney project is well underway so if any of you haven't had a chance to view VAFiction on Tumbler, do yourself a favor and check it out. There are some really great projects on there.

Credit: Eva's view on Dimitri is quoted from Bleeding Violet - Maybe she and Dimitri have a love for reading in common ;)


	23. Chapter 23

**Ch. 23**

 **CPOV**

 **Songs: Pale Blue Eyes by Velvet Underground, Morning Tea by Beware Of Darkness**

I sat at the breakfast bar, stirring around my now cold oatmeal. It didn't really look that appetizing to begin with, but now it was reduced to glacial mush. The disappointment from last night was mounting and eating was the last thing on my mind. I thought we would find her. I thought after last night I would be able to hold her in my arms again. But instead, I watched an innocent man die and used my magic to scorch the dead flesh of red-eyed psychopaths…again.

Since we met Eva, I had been on the edge of my seat waiting to get to Lissa. We now had a real shot at bringing her back, and last night could have been that opportunity. Seeing that small glimpse of hope slip right through my fingers was putting me on edge. Unlike the others, I didn't have much of an outlet to release my frustrations—whether it be drowning myself in a bottle of whatever I could get my hands on or punching the stuffing out of a leather bag.

Sometimes sitting in a quiet place was my only resolve; it's one of the reasons I had spent so much time in the church attic back at the academy, but it looked like today I wouldn't be afforded that luxury.

"She really is a pain in the ass, you know that right?" Rose stormed into the kitchen, the swinging doors shuddering behind her furious gust. I kept my eyes down, lazily staring at my bland, brown slush as she rummaged through the cabinets in search of food. Her stomping echoed down the hall and I could hear her coming before her outburst could jolt me. I thought Guardians were supposed to be stealthy, but apparently, she wasn't in the mood to follow protocol.

"Oh, and you're just a ray of sunshine?" She ignored my snarky response and continued on her rampage.

"I mean, of all the Spirit users in the world, you couldn't find one with at least a basic set of social skills," she replied as she stuffed some sort of packaged sugary pastry into her mouth. I couldn't recall a time where I had seen her eat anything other than junk. I wondered if I passed her a piece of fruit if she would shrivel up and die.

"You should give her a chance. The two of you are more alike than you think." I flinched, waiting for her to chuck the rest of her so-called breakfast at me.

Instead, she threw her hands up in the air with an exasperated sigh. "Gah! What is it with everyone and that line today?!"

"Huh?" It seemed like I wasn't the first one to witness her wrath this morning.

"Nothing," she paused as she plopped down in a seat across from me. "Just something Abe said earlier."

"About Eva," I asked curiously.

"No. My _mother_." Crumbs sprinkled out of her full mouth as she finished off her glazed pastry, and I gave her a disgusted look at her poor manners. "What? I'm hungry," she shook her head at me like a hormonal teenager.

I pushed the bowl of goo away from me, all semblance of an appetite now completely gone, and turned to face her. "Look, you may not like her, but she's here to do us a huge favor. Without her, we can't get Lissa back so I suggest you stop whining and appreciate what she has to offer."

"I'm not _whining_ ," she whined. I lifted my eyebrows and gave her a knowing look. "Ugh fine, maybe I am. But she's just so…so…"

"Complicated," I finished for her.

"Bitchy was the word I was looking for actually," she smirked.

"And you'd know all about that wouldn't you." Her fist immediately shot out to my shoulder and pounded into me hard enough to nearly knock me off my stool. "Fuck!" I grounded myself against the counter and readjusted my seat. "Damn, Rose. That hurt."

"Oh, shut up you big baby," she giggled. I rolled my eyes at her teasing and rubbed my arm but couldn't help my smile from seeping out. After a minute, her face turned slightly more serious and matched her new tone. "By the way, I didn't get the chance to tell you thank you for what you did at the ball. You're getting pretty good at that, Sparky," she complimented.

"Yeah well, I had some practice with this badass Dhampir back at St. Vlad's." My somber joke simultaneously lifted our spirits and brought us back down to reality.

"I guess you're right about Eva," she admitted as she tugged at the ends of her long hair. "I wish she wasn't so difficult, but if it means getting Lissa back it's more than worth it." I nodded in agreeance and saw her look down to one of the side plates of bacon next to me. "You gonna eat that?"

I rolled my eyes at her bottomless pit of a stomach and slid the plate over towards her; mainly out of fear of receiving another punch to my side.

\

After Rose calmed down and ate half the contents of the kitchen, she decided to go take a shower and wait for Abe to rear his head. I was hoping Adrian would make his appearance soon as well. It was almost disheartening to admit I could tell when something was up with him now, but I guess that's what happens when you spend every waking moment with the guy for weeks on end.

Eventually, I got tired of waiting and decided to go seek him out. He was probably passed out in his room trying to sleep off yet another hangover. I considered grabbing a glass of water to bring to him but figured he brought this torture upon himself and deserved to wallow in it.

When I approached his room, I raised my hand to knock but paused when I heard muffled voices on the other side. I looked down to see the door was cracked open and nudged it further with my knuckles. As I walked into the room I recognized Eva's voice and could tell the two of them were arguing.

"What's going on," I interrupted.

"Nothing. Nothing's going on," Adrian frustratingly replied. His face was red and anxious and he looked like he had been pulling at his disorderly hair.

"He's lying," Eva said dispassionately.

"I told you to stay out of my fucking head!" Adrian pushed passed her and made his way for the door.

"I don't need to get inside your head to see something is wrong," she argued after him. I pushed my hand on the door and slammed it shut before he reached it.

"She's right Adrian. You've been off since we left that shit-show last night." He gritted his teeth at my response and turned his back to me.

"Oh, and what do you care, Ozera," he condescended. "The only thing that matters to you is getting your precious girlfriend back."

"I thought that mattered to all of us?" Normally when someone lashed out at me with that tone, I had no problem firing back, sometimes literally. But I had never seen this side of Adrian. Sure, we had, had an altercation in the past, but it was mainly stemmed from my jealousy and false rumors. He was purposely being antagonistic now and I had no idea why. One thing was for sure...I didn't like it.

He laughed humorlessly at my response. "Don't give me that shit, Christian. I know what you think of me and why I'm really here. Once I've served my purpose you'll just toss me aside like a piece of rubbish. Well, guess what, I'm not some expendable waste."

His eyes were wide and burning with incensed heat. The tone of his voice was starting to piss me off, but instead of retaliating and fueling that rage I tried to reason with him. "Dude, calm down. What's gotten into—"

"I am Adrian fucking Ivashkov," he continued his rampage, his voice rising with each spiteful word. "Grand-nephew to the Queen of our society. And who are you? Some nobody trying to cling to the only person that you think can help others from seeing the truth of who you really are...Strigoi trash left behind by your savage parents."

So much for playing it cool. I launched at him wrapping my arms around his pathetic form as I tackled him to the floor. I sat up and threw my fist at his cocky face, hoping to draw blood. I expected to see a semblance of fear in his eyes after my initial strike, but when he looked at me that flame had accelerated into a full-blown inferno. He shoved me off of him and jumped on top of me, wildly throwing punches at my sides as I tried to protect my body from his tirade. I shoved back, trying to remove his weight, unsuccessfully, and let out a grunt as one of his hits landed on my ribs.

Suddenly, his body flew off me like a retracting spider and when I looked up to see what had caused it, Rose was standing behind him, her fist gripped around the back of his shirt. "Aw, you guys are having a party in here without me? How rude," she wisecracked.

I sat up on my elbows taking a few calming breaths as Adrian yanked out of her grasp. "Doesn't anyone fucking knock around here? Is a deadlock the only thing that will keep you people out?" Rose's face squinched slightly at his fuming tone.

"Yeah, like that would have stopped me," she smirked as she haughtily placed her hands on her hips. "Besides, your shouting was carrying across the entire hotel. What's going on with you two?" She gestured between him and me as I slowly rose from the floor.

"Ask him," I motioned to Adrian and tried not to wince at the pain in my side.

Adrian was frantically pacing in circles between Eva and Rose now, his wild gaze looking past them. "Just leave me alone! Alone is where I belong. Alone in the darkness. Away from it all. Alone. Alone. ALONE!" His voice was alternating between anger, crazed, and desperation.

Rose quickly became concerned and she looked at me for an answer. "What happened to him? Adrian, what's going on?" She reached out her hand to soothe him but he jerked away and skittishly started backing up. He shook his head and began speaking in spouts of Russian and French, none of it making any sense. I looked behind him and could see Eva creeping up quietly. Rose continued trying to settle him as Eva inched closer and closer. Adrian was shouting now his eyes fixed on the ceiling like he was looking for some kind of divine sign, then Eva made her move.

She leaped towards him, in what I thought was an attempt to subdue him, but instead, she slipped a thin silver bracelet onto his wrist. Adrian's eyes shot down to his arm and gazed at the trinket. Suddenly his body seemed to relax and he blinked a few times to melt the distraught expression away. He looked around the room, taking in his surroundings and plopped down into a nearby chair letting out an exasperated sigh. "I need a drink."

Rose rushed over to his seat and knelt down beside him. "Adrian, are you okay?"

"Hey Little Dhampir. Just peachy, especially now that you're here," he attempted to wiggle his eyebrows, but I could see the exhaustion weighing him down.

"The darkness was taking over your aura. I've never seen it grow that quickly before," Eva explained with a sense of uneasiness to her tone.

Adrian looked over to the silver bracelet again and fiddled with the charm. "Nice trick, Red."

"Have you been using too much magic? Is that what happened at the ball?" I could tell Rose was still worried, but grateful he was back to his normal self.

"No, it wasn't that."

"Then what," Eva probed.

Adrian looked down at his lap, seemingly unsure how to respond. "It's Lissa. I—I saw her," he finally spat out.

My heart dropped, all the blood from my face falling with it. A thousand questions started to race through my mind. _He saw her? When? Why didn't he tell us? Where was she now?_

"She approached me at the ball. She wanted me to do something for her." He looked up from his lap, his gaze finally meeting mine. "She wanted me to bring her...you."

Eva and Rose's faces turned towards me, waiting for my reaction but nothing came. I was frozen. Stunned still. His words felt like a batch of wet concrete pouring down on me. He began telling us about their conversation, her mannerisms, what she was like, and all I could do was stand there motionless, taking it all in.

"She was able to enter my mind. It was like a Spirit dream, only much stronger. Her magic is growing into something I've never seen or even heard of. When I left the room, I felt fine, but the more I pushed against her request and refused, the more the darkness grew. It was like a compulsion but instead of erasing or altering my memory, my actions were what guided the magic. I lost control and couldn't fight it anymore."

He looked over at me again, this time with regret. "Chris, man I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of that stuff I said. I swear I don't think any of that about your—"

I held my hand up, halting his apology. He gulped, wary of my response. "It's forgotten. I know you didn't mean it. And it's not like it's the first time I've heard it."

He nodded, still somewhat ashamed of his actions but I couldn't offer any other assurance right now. Not when all I could think about was Lissa. "So what do we do? How do we find her?"

Shock snapped across Adrian's face and he practically leaped out of his chair. "What? You can't seriously be considering going to her? It's suicide!"

"No—well not yet at least—but she's always a step ahead of us. Now that we have some small piece of information about what she wants without her knowing, maybe we can use it against her."

He seemed to think this over for a second before responding. "I don't know, she didn't exactly give me an address."

"Can't we use the bond? Rose, you used to find her all the time when she was in trouble." She looked at me with the same shame that Adrian had just worn at my request.

"I can't. She's too powerful. When I'm inside her head, she uses it against me to get information out. It would only lead her to us." She rubbed her arms, trying to banish away some imaginary chill in the room.

"I can help with that."

We simultaneously whipped to Eva. I had almost forgotten she was there. "You can?" My voice was unsure. I had been given so much false hope over the last couple of days, I wasn't sure how much more of it I could take. But it appeared she mistook my uneasiness as doubt in her abilities.

She glared at me with her arms crossed over her chest, her red curls mirroring flames under her fiery stare. "Yes. _I can_."

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Where is my mind by Maxence Cyrin, The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning by Smashing Pumpkins, Far From Home by Mr. Little Jeans**

We were all gathered in one of the hotel's parlor rooms, the crackling sound of a freshly made fire becoming the background music to the back and forth arguments of our newfound idea.

"It's risky. There must be a better way," Abe reproached, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Well I don't see you coming up with any other options," Christian's snarky tone emanated. "It's the best chance we have at finding her."

Eddie stood up from one of the sofa's to join their dispute. "What if she finds out about Eva? She's the best shot of getting Lissa restored and we'll be giving away our greatest weapon."

There was truth in everything that was being said, but my worries were stemmed from something entirely different. I wanted to find Lissa just as badly as Christian but was still hesitant to enter her mind.

Each time I saw her as that monster, it was like a little piece of her old self died. Each menacing hiss that rolled off her tongue, each cruel red-eyed stare, her complete lack of empathy and a mind left with only cruel thoughts; all details that were pulling the Lissa I knew further and further away from me.

As I stared into the fire, clinging to its warmth I thought back to the night at Dimitri's house when all of my friends sat around a similar burning blaze sharing stories about how Lissa had touched our lives. I let those memories wrap around me and remind me of the person we were fighting to restore. I kept my back to the room and closed my eyes to drone out the other voices until someone deftly approached behind me.

"What do you want to do, Rose?" Dimitri's low voice spoke quietly but somehow rose above all the others in the room. His hand lightly rested on my shoulder in a comforting gesture and I inhaled the mix of soot and pine as I reveled in that feeling his touch brought me.

I opened my eyes and stared into the fire again for one last boost of confidence before turning to face them. "Christian's right. We should do it."

Dimitri stood beside me in support. I could tell he was still a little skeptical of the idea and worried about what could happen, but he respected me enough to make my own decision and disregarded any objections.

"So, how does it work?" I moved to sit in front of Eva and she adjusted uncomfortably in her seat.

"It's like your Spirit ring, but I'll use slightly less magic so you can break the barrier. I'll start out light and slowly add more as you take the ring off. Once you are inside I can gage how much to use so she can't detect you or get inside your head."

"And is there some kind of fail-safe," Adrian jumped in. "You know, in case it's not working or something goes wrong?"

"It will work," Eva bit back. "But if something happens just put the ring back on her finger and the connection will be cut off." Everyone looked around at each other silently before setting their gazes on the two of us.

"Alright let's get this over with. Besides, what's the worst that could happen right," I attempted to lighten the mood, mirroring something I had told Abe when he invited us to attend the ball. Eva raised an eyebrow and held in whatever reply that was itching to break free.

She held out her hands, palms up, and when I placed mine on top of hers her shoulders stiffened, like my touch was physically harming to her. I was starting to think that her dislike towards me might be stemmed from something other than my attempt to maul her when we first met.

Her brow knitted in concentration and I could feel the tiniest bit of Spirit magic trickling in. It was warm and light combined with a fluttering feeling that reminded me of the excitement you felt before a first kiss or chowing down on a particularly tasty meal.

"Dimitri," she motioned to my hand with her head and he knelt down beside me. "Start taking it off of her but go slow." I bit my lip to hold back on that ripe opening she had just given me and reminded myself to take this seriously. "Rose, once it's off your finger try to tap inside her mind." He nodded in response and moved his hand to mine. He hovered over it for a moment and looked at me with his soft brown eyes, silently questioning if it was alright. I mimicked his nod and swallowed, anticipating his touch. Dimitri gently placed his calloused fingers on mine and slowly began tugging at my ring, one finger softly tracing the path along my skin behind it. The sensation caused that fluttering to intensify and my breaths became heavy with my rising pulse.

I looked away from his touch and concentrated on searching for Lissa. Eva's eyes were closed and her head was down as she put more effort into her magic. I felt the cool surface of the ring brush my fingertip and knew it was now or never. As soon as it left my finger completely, my shoulders jolted in place and my vision snapped into another scene.

Her footsteps were fast paced and determined. I could see flashes of burgundy heels and black tights. It was almost like a camera lens opening and closing, black shutters snapping shut in between scenes. She looked to her right and left and I could see the same bulky Strigoi from her meeting with Grigory, Nikolai I think was his name, and a few others of her entourage.

Eva pushed a little more magic in and my vision sharpened as they continued down some carpeted steps. "I can see them," I voiced to the others. "They're in some kind of mansion or something."

Lissa's perfectly manicured hands pushed through a pair of heavy-set double doors and I shuddered at the memory of that crystal bottle of nail polish as the others followed behind her. I couldn't feel her as strongly as before but could tell she was annoyed. They all convened around a desk in the center of an ornate office and started to bicker.

"We aren't moving fast enough. We need more progress." Lissa kept her gaze down at some of the papers strewn across the desk while a man's irritating voice spoke out.

"Last night was just the first step," she calmly replied. "Seeds have been planted". She turned her back from the desk and looked at an adjacent wall covered in an array of classic paintings. One in particular peaked my interest and she made her way towards it. I had seen it before. The Lady of Shalott. It was one of Lissa's mother's favorite paintings. The story behind it was tragic, to say the least, but Rhea somehow still found beauty in it.

"And by the moon the reaper weary, piling sheaves in uplands airy," she murmured the somber sonnet to herself as the others continued to squabble. The memories of that painting sent a forlorn twinge into my chest and Lissa began to gradually lift her hand towards the beautiful dame sitting in the wooden boat.

"What's happening," someone in the parlor asked, disrupting my attention.

"They're arguing," I irritably replied. Lissa simultaneously dropped her hand, her interest in the painting subsiding. It was most likely a coincidence, but the sudden disinterest stuck me as strange. I bleakly wondered what her initial draw to the painting was. Could it have been the memory of her mother as well?

I quickly banished that thought as she tilted her head, wondering what the lonely dame would taste like. I could feel Eva pour a little more Spirit into me as my fleeting hopes dwindled. Lissa moved her focus to the intricate details of the painted cloth and suddenly, I could sense a bit of...melancholy. _Did Strigoi feel sad?_

"If you weren't so concerned with your little pet, we would be miles ahead by now," that same irritating voice called out to her. Lissa whipped her head around, letting out a threatening hiss. When her sites landed on the owner of the insult, I took a sharp inhale that stung my throat.

His pale hair seemed to blend into his white skin and his red almond eyes sat almost too close together above his perfect nose. A menacing smile grew on his lips, splitting his face in two and I instantly knew. I had seen that smile before—coated in her blood. It was him. The Strigoi that stole her from me.

"He's there," I told the others. "The one that turned her. He's in the room."

"Shut your mouth, Nathan. She's the only one who can truly protect me. If you want the Order's plan to succeed, I. Need. Her." My revulsion at seeing her attacker was quickly redirected as Lissa's sinister voice seeped out.

"And the others," that bastard Nathan questioned. "Those Dhampir rats nearly wrecked our plans."

"Adrian and Rose are the priority and Christian is the key to getting them here. The rest you can do with as you wish." Lissa wafted her hand noncommittally as if their lives were meaningless.

"Don't toy with me, Princess. I know you have other plans for the Ozera boy. Maybe I should make him _my_ little pet to put you back in your place." Nathan twirled his fingers in the air and licked his fangs.

Without warning, Nikolai darted across the room and landed his huge form on top of Nathan. The blonde Strigoi clawed at the giant's elbow pinning his neck, his back and head crushed against the desk. "Tsk tsk tsk Nathan. When will you learn," Lissa cooed. "My place is, and always will be that crushing feeling against your throat."

Lissa smiled and giggled at the show before her. As much as it pleased me to see Nathan suffer, a small tear rolled down my cheek before I could muster the strength to stop it. Seeing my sweet, once selfless best friend turn into a malicious, unfeeling beast was quickly weighing on me and I wasn't sure how much more I could take.

As the droplet fell from my face, I felt Eva's hand suddenly let go. Panic threatened to rear its head, but before I could react, her hand was instantly replaced with a larger, rougher one in its place. Soothing warmth spread up my arm and into my chest. My breathing steadied and my limbs pulsed with a sweet burn.

Lissa's laughing began to fade and her vengeful smile slowly retreated. Dimitri gave my hand a tight squeeze and as I squeezed back relief and comfort washed over me. Lissa backed away from the table and clutched her chest. She looked around at the others in the room with uncertainty before shouting at them to get out. "Leave, all of you!" She waved Nikolai away from Nathan, and he too exited the room.

"What's happening," she said to herself and I let out an astonished gasp.

Just then, a cool, slick feeling brushed over my finger and I was pulled back into the parlor. I looked up to see Dimitri and Eva still holding on to me. Upon realizing I was no longer with Lissa, Eva dropped her hand, but Dimitri's remained for a moment longer.

"Are you okay," Eddie asked.

"What happened," chimed in Chris.

I looked at Eva, still in a state of stupor hoping she could shed some light. She just nodded at me with a similar look letting me know what I was about to say wasn't entirely as crazy as I thought it was. "I think," I started. "I think she can _feel_."

The room went silent. I expected someone to speak up, but they all seemed to have simultaneously gone mute. They just stared at me blankly like stupefied statues.

Then the questions came.

"Wh-what?"

"How?"

"Like physical touch?"

"No, like emotions you idiot."

"Are you sure?"

"How is that even possible?"

"What did she do?"

I was starting to get whiplash as I looked to each of them to answer before another question blurted out. "Blagh! One at a time!" I threw my hands up and waved at them to stop.

"Tell us from the beginning, what exactly happened," Abe calmly directed.

I explained her interest in the painting and the combination of feelings that mirrored my own all the way to the end when she could feel the comfort I received, leaving out the full details of how much that gesture really affected me. I promptly ignored the suspicious smirk Eva gave me. I wasn't sure how much she could see or feel at the moment it happened, but I didn't really want to find out. "I think it had something to do with the bond not being so open on her side. She was getting a taste of what she can do to me, but reversed."

"Do you think it's something you can control," Adrian asked.

I finally looked to Eva, hoping she could shed some light, but she just ducked further back into her seat with her arms crossed. "I don't know," I doubtfully responded. "But one thing's for sure. I know where they are."

This piqued Christian's interest and he moved closer to the couch, silently begging me to tell him more with his pleading crystal blue eyes. "That painting was Lissa's mother's. She used to have it in their house back in Montana but moved it to the Dragomir family home in Paris after Lissa and I accidentally put a chip in the frame when we knocked it off the wall. The one she was looking at tonight had the same tiny chip in the right corner. I guess her mom never got around to fixing it." I don't know why I didn't think of it before. She had gone to a similar place back in Russia, but I guess some selfish part of me hoped that she hadn't tainted yet another legacy home with vile Strigoi dealings.

"Abe, do you think you can find the address," Christian turned to him with excitement. Zmey pulled his phone out and made his way into the other room to place a call. After about an hour of more questions from my friends, Abe reappeared and told us his contact was working out the details and would be in touch with him first thing in the morning. Since it seemed like none of us really got any sleep the previous night, we decided to make our way to our rooms and try to rest up.

I laid down trying to fall asleep but just as this morning, the bed was too soft. I couldn't stop thinking about how I saw the tiniest flashes of the old Lissa tonight. It was like she was trapped somewhere inside that monster, waiting to break free. She felt my reminiscence, my sadness, my reassurance, and contentment. When Dimitri's hand reached out to mine, that glowing warmth in my chest started to melt her cold heart and I could almost feel her coming back to me.

I thought back to that visit at Mark and Oksana's and realization suddenly struck me. What Mark said to me outside was right. I had been fighting my feelings this whole time, pushing Dimitri away from me—afraid that by letting him in again I would be betraying Lissa's memory—when in actuality his trust and comfort were helping the both of us more than anything imaginable.

His love had saved me from the darkness that day in the cabin, and his friendship now was saving the both of us all over again.

Before I knew what was happening I was out of my bed and walking down the hotel's dark hallway. I wasn't sure where I was going as my thoughts continued to spiral until I found myself standing in front of Dimitri's door.

I tested the handle, surprised to find it unlocked and carefully pushed the door open. His room was dark but my heightened vision allowed me to see everything inside. It was slightly smaller than mine but had a huge window lining the far wall that seemed to engulf the room. Everything was perfectly in place, no clothes lazily strewn across the furniture or any other sign that there was someone staying here. I briefly wondered if I had the right room until I detected the faintest hint of his aftershave. I quietly shut the door and stepped in to look around for him. I finally laid eyes on the bed to see Dimitri laying there but like me, he wasn't asleep. He slowly sat up, letting the sheets fall down his bare torso.

I stood in place across the room, unsure what to say. He looked at me for another moment with that same tenderness and passion that never really left him. Without a word, his right hand moved to grab the edge of his sheet and lifted a portion of it up in invitation. As always, he knew just what I needed without us even having to speak. I silently walked over to the bed and climbed in under his arm. He dropped the sheet over me and began turning away to face the opposite direction like we slept in Baia; but I caught his arm and pulled him back to me, my fingertips lighting up under his touch. Without resistance or hesitation, he let me wrap his arm around me then pulled my back flush against his chest.

I indulgently inhaled the scent from his pillow and let out a soft sigh as my eyes fluttered shut. Dimitri tucked his face into my hair and I let the steady beat of his heart against my back send me into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **A/N:** I am so happy an opportunity arose to finally use Far From Home by Mr. Little Jeans. I listened to that song so many times while reading Blood Promise and it kills me. So Romitri!

I know things have been moving a little more slowly these past few chapters, but with all the POVs that tends to happen. Lots of big things coming up that will kick the pace into high gear.

Fun fact: there are actually several famous portraits of The Lady of Shalott derived from Tennyson's poem, but the one Lissa/Rose were looking at is by John William Waterson. In case any of you were curious ;).


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: Please take note that this story rating has been upgraded to M. I've started to realize that some of the language has been pushing the limits a little, especially since the introduction of our fiery OC, and there are some more mature scenes coming up. I hope this doesn't deter any of you T readers and if you think you might have some issues, feel free to PM me and I'll update the chapters with notes on mature scenes you may wish to avoid.**_

* * *

 **Ch 24**

 **Eddie POV**

 **Song: Trouble – TV On The Radio**

Last night's events were interesting, to say the least. I didn't know much about this Spirit magic stuff, but something told me what Eva did in the gym, then again in Rose's head wasn't normal. I started to wonder what the full extent of her abilities were.

 _Could she hear my thoughts too?_ _What if she's listening right now?_

 _*tap. tap. tap.*_

"Shit!" A knocking on my door startled me and increased my paranoia, despite how slow and lethargic the raps sounded. I hopped off the lounge chair I had been "relaxing" on and made my way to the door. When I opened it I had to bite down on my tongue to keep my eyes from popping out of my head.

Eva stood there with slumped shoulders, her red hair in complete disarray and sleep still written all over her face. "What are you doing here," I blurted out, unable to hide the panic in my voice.

She scrunched her brow at my stammered response and grumpily replied, "Abe wants to see us. And apparently, I am now his personal messenger sent to gather you and Rose."

I let out a gust of air in relief and gave her a nervous smile. "Yeah sure. Let's go."

"What are you so chipper about at this ungodly hour," her drowsy eyes narrowed at me. So, she wasn't a morning person. "Uh, nothing," I nervously scratched the back of my neck. "Sorry."

Eva crossed her arms over her chest with an annoyed look. "I can't hear everything you're thinking, Eddie."

"How did you—I mean, what? I wasn't thinking that. That's just silly." My nervous laughter had accelerated into rambling. I put my hand on the door frame and leaned into it, trying to strike up a casual pose.

"It's written all over your face," she made a circular motion with her hand while pointing at—what I imagined to be—the dumbass look on my face. I pursed my lips and tried to look anywhere but at her.

An amused sigh deflated her surly stance and she lazily dropped her arms. "It doesn't work like that. I mean, I could catch bits and pieces if I really tried, but I don't like to do that."

"Besides," she added. "It's not like I'd need to with you."

"What's that supposed to mean," I crossed my arms and feigned insult. "I'll have you know I am an extremely mysterious man."

She let out a modest chuckle and shook her head. "Yeah, sure you are."

A small sound at the end of the hall pulled our attention away from our droll conversation. I peeked my head out of my room and Eva leaned back to give me a better view. Rose was quietly closing the door to Dimitri's room, seemingly unaware that she had an audience. When she finally turned around and spotted us, she froze in place.

We all just stared at each other awkwardly before Eva finally spoke up. "Abe wants to see us."

Rose nodded and began moving her feet back towards her room. "Okay, be there in a sec." She whipped around and practically darted across the hall without another word.

Eva turned to me with a raised eyebrow and I just shrugged my shoulders in response, not wanting to get into that mess of a situation.

After a couple minutes, Rose met us in Abe's suite. Eva seemed a little more awake and she sat at attention as we waited for Abe to tell us what he wanted. I wasn't sure what the relationship was there, but she seemed to pretty much be at his beck and call.

I had been trying my best to keep my distance from him. Dimitri had warned me that Abe was a dangerous man and with him, nothing came for free. Seeing as I had no money or anything of value to give, I didn't plan on giving him an opportunity to make a deal by selling my soul to the devil...so to speak.

"We've tracked down the location of the Dragomir estate and received some information of recent activity." Rose sat up at the news and waited for him to elaborate. "At night several tinted vehicles have been seen traveling to and from the property with a lot of movement, but during the day things have been relatively quiet."

"What's the security situation," Rose asked. Abe opened his mouth to respond, but a thought flew out of mine before I could think better of it.

"Uh, shouldn't we wait until the others are awake," I interrupted. Abe looked over to me and I mentally scolded myself for attracting his attention.

"Don't worry young Guardian, they will be kept up to speed. But I wanted to discuss our plan of action with you three first so you can help convince the others without much fuss." Uh oh. I had a feeling Belikov was not going to like this. I swallowed and sat back in my seat while he continued.

"Security is a bit of an issue and the only movement during the day is the sporadic delivery of humans now and again. Sometimes they come out, sometimes they don't. However," he looked to Eva as he spoke, "we may be able to work this to our advantage." She nodded in response, apparently understanding what he was getting at. I, on the other hand, was still completely lost.

"What are you saying," Rose asked, making me feel somewhat grateful that I wasn't the only one who was clueless.

"I can create charms for us to disguise our identity," Eva explained. Abe nodded for her to continue and it was obvious then that they had already discussed this. "Rose and I will pose as humans and Eddie as a guard."

Yep. Dimitri definitely wasn't going to like this. He had been adamant about not letting Rose out of his sight since he found us, and I was pretty sure walking into a Strigoi den posing as humans was the last thing he wanted her to do. "Okay. And why just us? Will the charms not work on the others?"

"Once we are in there, if they are looking for a specific person, the charm could break. It's a fragile spell. Lissa asked Adrian to bring her Christian so it's likely that some of these people know who they are and are even expecting them. They might even be looking for Rose, but with two girls coming in instead of one it will throw them off. And Belikov is too huge. Unless the guard we take out for you to replace is also the size of a bear, he'll stand out like a sore thumb."

"Once you are inside," Abe continued, "You'll just need to get your hands on some kind of evidence that we could use. Rose, you said they were in an office discussing their plans last night, I'd say that's the best place to search."

I looked around Eva's chair to Rose, waiting for her shoot down the idea. She thought about it for a minute, her hand contemplatively scratching at a tear in her jeans. "And how long will this charm last? An hour? Less?"

 _There you go, Rose_. I knew I could count on her to find some whole in their absurd plan to get us out of this mess.

"It will last as long as we need. That is, if we don't give ourselves up in any way. Or get caught," Eva responded.

Pfft, that was a vague answer if I'd ever heard one. I knew there was no way she would go along with it after that. I sat back in my chair a little, feeling a sense of relief.

"It's risky, but Eddie and I can handle it."

 _What the fuck?!_

I couldn't believe the words that just fell out of her mouth. Was she serious? I didn't even need to say anything back, she could read exactly where my thoughts had led from my stunned expression.

"How many times did we sneak in and out of Kirova's office undetected? And that was without a disguise and a cover." Was that seriously her best argument?

"There also wasn't a band of Strigoi, hiding out from the sun on the floor below," I muttered.

"Come on Eddie, where's your sense of adventure? Just imagine it's the field exam we'll probably end up missing," she jibed.

The girl was seriously disturbed. "Ugh fine," I let out a dejected sigh. "When do we leave?"

"Really," her shock and excitement were even more troubling. "That was easier than I thought. I had like, ten other great convincing arguments to throw at you."

"I said I was in it for the long haul, didn't I? I never thought it would lead to something this outrageous, but nevertheless, I'm in. You can tell me these so-called 'great arguments' along the way." _When I'm kicking myself in the shins for agreeing to this stupid idea_ , I mentally added.

Rose had told Dimitri and me about her conversation with Abe and how we were going to need to get some proof to help prosecute the Mână for what they had done. Our main focus was Lissa, but if this would help take down those sick bastards that killed Arthur and who knows how many other innocent people, I had to at least try. The three of them looked all too pleased with themselves for a group that was planning to break into a Strigoi den, but their confidence helped ease my nerves a little and somehow made me feel like we could really pull it off.

"Now that we've gotten that over with," I leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees. "Who's going to tell Belikov?

 **DPOV**

 **Songs: Wanted by Bon Jovi, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Queens of the Stoneage**

"You can't just expect me to—"

"Everyone out!" Abe's thunderous demand interrupted yet another one of my fleeting arguments since he and Rose divulged their plan to us, and caused everyone else in the room to scatter like ants. I should have felt some sort of uneasiness by his tenor, but all of my emotions were currently being poured into my building rage.

Once the door shut behind him and we were the only ones left standing in the room, his dark glower slowly eased in my direction, bringing menacing words with it. "Do not mistake me for someone I am not, boy," he emphasized the last word in an attempt to make me feel unsteady, but all it did was take me back to a time when another Moroi with blood the same as mine threatened all that I held dear. I clenched my fists and tried to keep my lips from curling over my teeth in a snarl.

"Remember our deal, Belikov? You will _do_ what I ask." His words projected finality and I could see Pavel in the corner, always lurking, ready to intervene if needed.

I counted my breaths in my head and tried to control the boiling blood surging through my veins. When I felt like I was somewhat in control, I finally spoke. "So you're saying if I do this, our deal is done?"

Abe's malicious laugh resounded through the room and I bit back another repulsed sneer. "Of course not. You think this amounts to the debt that you owe? You will do this because I tell you to. I am the only thing keeping you here. And you of all people should know, when I see an issue I have no problem removing it." I knew exactly what he was referring to. I had seen the men sent to my mother's care. I had heard the whispered rumors echo through Baia. But I still wasn't letting this go. I was about to tell him exactly that but sensing my opposition, Abe cut in once again.

"All it would take is a phone call to the Guardians," my words froze on my tongue and halted any objections I was about to deliver. "This group would no doubt benefit from you being here. I've seen your skills in action and know you have been a large support to Rose. However, if I feel you are no longer able to fulfill your purpose I will happily inform the Council of your whereabouts and let them take action. I highly doubt you will be able to help Miss Hathaway from behind steel bars."

Zmey didn't earn his ruthless reputation without reason. He had me wrapped around his finger and by the look on his smug face, he knew it too. It was an argument I couldn't win and I was left feeling completely defeated by the guileful serpent.

"Now that it appears you have seen reason, why don't you go and find something to do to pass the time until they safely return back with what we need." I wanted to reach across the room and slam his head into the wall. I wanted to hit him in the face over and over until it was coated in a thick layer of his vile blood. I looked over Pavel a couple times, assessing how many different ways I could quickly take him out before Zmey had a chance to flee the room. Instead, I brusquely turned away—admitting defeat—and walked to the door. He was right, if I wanted to be there for Rose when it counted, I had to comply with his demands.

Yet, when I reached the door, I placed my hand on the cool wooden surface and paused. It dawned on me that this wasn't just his request. "You're mistaken."

"I beg your pardon," Zmey snickered.

"You are not the only thing keeping me here," I turned around to face him once again, my confidence suddenly rising. "Rose is. I'll go along with this plan, but only because it's what _she_ wants. I could give a shit about your threats. My life doesn't matter to me anymore, only hers does."

I trusted her the night before to enter Lissa's mind, and she was strong enough to face her worst fears. I needed to maintain my trust in her and show her that I saw her as an equal, not just as a novice. If I continued to coddle her and protect her, she would eventually resent me for it. Rose could do anything she put her mind to and if this was something she felt she needed to do, whether I liked it or not, I would accede.

I stood there proudly, waiting for Zmey to lash out at me again for insulting his abilities to inflict harm and make good on his threats, but was shocked when something else took over his normally self-assured demeanor. It was almost like…admiration.

Before I could think too much about it I turned again and pushed through the doors, leaving him and Pavel in the room behind.

\

I eventually found my way to the library, thinking that it would be the last place that any of the others would wander near. At least there I could get some privacy long enough to collect my thoughts.

Wrong.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes before someone came looking. When the door cracked open, I half expected it to be Rose—so I was sorely surprised when a mess of red curls popped through the opening. I turned my back away, pretending to examine the shelf of books in front of me and pointedly ignored Eva. The click of the door shutting gave me false hope that she had taken my not so subtle hint that I wanted to be alone and left, but her light footsteps behind me told me I wouldn't be so lucky.

"I need to talk to you."

I kept my back to her and my mouth shut, refusing to acknowledge her and still hoping she would just go away. Not the most mature move, but my patience was running thin and I wasn't in the mood for whatever bullshit Abe had most likely sent her here to tell me.

"Are you going to at least look at me, or are you just going to stand there and pout all day?"

"I do not pout." I let out a groan and turned to meet her mischievous gaze.

Eva crossed her arms in response to my annoyed tone and walked over towards one of the book-lined walls. After looking them over for a moment, she reached out her hand to a row and admiringly ran her fingers along the assorted spines. "I've always loved books," she quietly admitted. "They were pretty much my only escape back home. I wore out our collection within the first two years of arriving there, so when a new shipment would come in I would spend all day pouring through them. Travel, adventure, history, mystery," she put an ominous emphasis on the last genre and gave me a peculiar look.

In any other circumstance, I might have used that little tidbit of personal information to probe more out of her, but my curiosity about where she came from was overshadowed by my earlier mood. "What do you want, Eva?"

"Abe isn't to blame for you not coming with us today. I am."

I stared at her blankly, unsure if she was covering for him or bragging.

"I know you are hiding something. And I don't trust secrets. Especially when lives are at stake." She looked over to my hip where my weapon was safely secured in its holster, seemingly amused by her accidental pun. I, however, was not.

"My private business is exactly that. Private," I gritted through my teeth. "I am not obliged to share anything with you, just as you are not expected to with me."

"That may be true," she shifted her position and walked towards one of the lounge chairs, resting her hands on its leather back. "But the fact that this is something you are hiding from everyone else is what is troubling to me."

I remained still with my Guardian mask in place, refusing to let her see whether or not her words were having any effect on me. It appeared her patience was about as slim as Rose's. Realizing I wasn't going to give, she let out an exasperated sigh and attempted to run a hand through her tangled hair.

"If you can't even share it with your closest confidant, then how do you expect me to have any semblance of trust in you? Keeping this secret from Rose is distracting you and distractions are the quickest way to get yourself killed out there." That last line sounded exactly like something about half a dozen of my professors in combat training had drilled into us at St. Basil's. I suddenly wondered who she had gotten her training from. "I'm not sure why you're hiding it anyways," her eyes rolled as she moved to the front of the chair and plopped down. "No matter how bad it is I'm almost positive she would handle it just fine."

"Rose is strong. She can handle anything," I thought aloud, not meaning to voice it.

Eva looked at me like I had just said something completely idiotic. "No," she laughed. "Because she's in love with you."

As much as I wished that were true, I didn't waste a second on her false observation. Sure, Rose and I had gotten closer and she was finally accepting my friendship, but that's as far as it would ever go. She had made it perfectly clear that Vasilisa was the only person she had room for in her life now and she wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of that again. Least of all, me. I shook my head and leaned against a nearby sofa, turning my body perpendicular to hers. "You obviously don't know Rose as well as you think you do."

"Oh, please. I can see it bright and clear in her aura," I looked over to her curiously as she continued. I wasn't entirely sure of the extent of her powers and this was the first time I had heard her speak about auras. "Every time you're around each other it lights up, and when you touch her it's like the sun. So is yours," she gestured over to the space around me. "Why do you think I had you grab her hand when she was in the Princess' mind?"

I thought about the distressed state Rose was in through the bond, and how she seemed to relax under my touch. Then later that night when she came to my room and slept while wrapped in my embrace. It may have meant something more to me, having her close and safe under my arm but it couldn't have been anything other than comfort to her. She trusted me and was just seeking out someone to relieve some of that pain after witnessing her best friend as a monster.

"Jeeze, do you always overthink everything?!" Eva's unabashed comment pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts and I pushed myself off the edge of the couch. Even if her last accusation was partly true—alright extremely true. It wasn't a secret that I tended to examine the details of situations a little longer than necessary, but that didn't mean she was right about everything. I knew that Spirit magic was slightly different among users so who was to say she could really determine Rose's emotions or not?

Either way, they would be leaving soon and I was done with this conversation. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Eva let out another annoyed sigh and hopped up from the chair, walking out of the room without another word and finally leaving me alone with a new worrying thought. As much as I didn't want to admit it, she was right. I needed to come clean to Rose, especially if she was starting to lean on me for a source of comfort. I would gladly stay by her side and be that reassuring boost she needed for as long as she asked—even if she would never feel the same way about those small moments as me—but the truth of the matter was I would be leaving as soon as we restored the Princess.

Abe had made it very clear today that he hadn't forgotten about our arrangement and he would gladly hand me over to the people I had been running from since I left the academy if I didn't comply. Rather than letting her get closer to me and rely on me, I needed to start giving her some distance. Otherwise, the sudden departure might cause her more harm. Now I just had to find a way to bring myself to do it.

 **RPOV**

 **Song: Voodoo by Godsmack**

"And then there's the chance that we'll get to—"

"Alright! Jesus, Rose I get it! That's enough. You are the queen of convincing arguments, okay?" After about my seventh point, Eddie had finally had enough. I smiled to myself at the small victory and leaned my head into the space between the two front seats to check out the GPS. We were almost there from the looks of it.

Picking up on my observation, Eva reached down to a bag at her feet and pulled out two silver necklaces. She shoved one over to me. "Here," I reached out to grab it and her hand retreated before it made contact with mine. "Who will I look like," I asked curiously.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you don't look like you," she responded curtly.

"That means I'm hideous doesn't it," I said as I hooked the clasp behind my neck.

Eddie glanced at me in the rear-view mirror with squinted eyes. "I don't see anything different."

"That's because you know about the charm. We won't be able to tell it's working, but trust me it is."

Trust Eva? Ha! I considered for half a second telling her exactly how little trust she had earned from me this far but thought better of pissing her off before we waltzed into a house possibly full of incognito Strigoi.

"Abe said that there would be some guards patrolling the outer perimeter. Pull over up ahead and we'll walk the rest of the way." I pointed to a small clearing in the tree line where we could easily conceal the car, but still make it out quickly if needed. When the car was parked Eddie sent a quick text to Abe, letting them know we had arrived, and we all made our way towards the house.

Finding and subduing a guard took less than ten minutes and Eva quickly created a charm for Eddie to wear. I was somewhat surprised that the guard was Dhampir. Was he oblivious to what was going on in that house? Was he compelled? Or did he know, and was on their side? The last thought made a twist in my gut. Sure, Dhampir weren't always treated the best, but how bad could his life have been to end up siding with Strigoi? I tried to ignore that last thought and focused on the crunch of the gravel path leading to the house instead.

So far, everything was going according to plan. We were stopped by another guard who told Eddie they weren't expecting a new batch so soon, but he was quick on his feet and appeased the guard by telling him he found us high as a kite wandering in the woods and didn't think the guests inside would mind an early meal. The other guard nodded in agreeance and we walked right in.

As soon as we were inside we all relaxed a little. Which was ironic since this was the riskiest part, but I think we all half expected to not even be able to make it this far. "Feel anything yet," Eddie asked.

I focused on my feelings and besides the rising butterflies I sometimes got before a fight, my stomach seemed steady enough. "No. They must be in a different part of the house."

Eva gave Eddie a curious glance and I obligingly filled her in. "I can sense when the Strigoi are near. Shadow-kissed, remember?"

Her expression didn't change and rather than waste time going into details I motioned them towards the staircase I had seen through the bond. "Come on, this way."

The office was easy to find and we stealthily made our way in undetected. Eddie quietly closed the door behind us and I moved to the large desk, sparing a single glance at Rhea's favorite painting. When I looked down at the documents though, I was sorely disappointed.

"None of them are in English," I groaned. I cursed myself again for never paying attention to foreign languages and Eddie gave me a look that said he wouldn't be much help either. "Great. How the hell are we supposed to know if any of these are worth a damn?"

Eva grabbed one of the documents and tossed it aside. She picked up another and began scanning over it before shoving it at my chest. "Wait. You know French," I asked.

"I know lots of things," she cockily replied, keeping her focus on the mess of papers. She continued tossing the majority to the side, deeming them as useless. I started to think they were all a bunch of bullshit and this had been a huge waste of time when finally, her eyes perked up. This document was in Russian and she ran her finger over passages above what looked to be a list of names. "This is it. This is what we need."

"What is it," Eddie asked excitedly.

"It's a contract. See here, there are signatures from people who have accepted and a list of others who are in the organization."

I looked underneath it to another document with the same watermark design at the top. It looked to be from the same stationary and there was a map on it with more Cyrillic script. "What's this?" I shoved it over to Eva's face. She gave me an annoyed look, but when she glanced over it her face went white.

"It's a map of court," she whispered. "This part here talks about points of entry and emergency exits. There are also highlighted sections where specific Royals live."

"Which Royals," Eddie and I asked in unison.

"The ones on this list," she raised her left hand still holding the contract. Harsh realization chilled my bones. They were organizing with Moroi to help take down court. If the Strigoi tried to infiltrate on their own, they would be stopped by the wards and Guardians before even setting foot inside. But with the group of Mână on their side, helping them sneak into certain weak spots and unpredictable areas, they had a real shot at succeeding.

Voices down the hall quietly carried into the room and we all jolted at the sound. "I thought you said you could sense them," Eva accused nervously.

"I can," I defended. "It's not Strigoi." I gripped onto the two documents in her hand and she rustled up a few more, shoving them at me just as the office door opened. A Moroi man and woman entered, their casual conversation halting as soon as they saw us standing there in our stuporous state.

"What the hell are you doing in here," the woman spat. If we had been standing anywhere else, and not clutching a pile of documents, we might have been able to pull an excuse out of our asses. But we were caught, and royally fucked.

The man looked down at the papers crinkled against my chest and his eyes went wide. I braced myself to charge at any oncoming backup he was about to call in, but instead, he raised his hands and took a deep inhale. Without warning, a furious gust of wind rushed towards us. I desperately latched onto the papers in my hand as the others flew off the desk and whipped across our faces. Eddie swatted at them, trying to clear his line of sight, but I didn't dare move my hands from their gripping hold. I could feel one of the parcels start to loosen from my grasp and tried to turn away, but the wind seemed to be coming from every direction. Sheets sliced against my cheeks and I was having trouble keeping the blasting currents from shooting into my nose and mouth. Just when I thought I was about to lose my grip, the tornado of papers spiraling around us stopped and they tranquilly began floating to the ground. I shook my now loose hair out of my face and darted my gaze over to the door.

The Moroi man was clutching his throat, gasping uncontrollably. It was like every part of the storm that had just surrounded us was invisibly forced down his throat. "What are you doing to him?! Stop," the Moroi woman shrieked. I looked to my left to see Eva's furious stare focused on the man, her teeth grinding and her fists clenched at her sides. She was controlling his magic and using it to suffocate him.

Without missing a beat, Eddie rushed over and slammed the man's head into his knee, knocking him completely unconscious. I quickly followed behind and with one clean punch to the jaw, sent the woman flying to the ground and landing jointly beside the air user. Eddie could have handled them both on his own, but I knew he wasn't too keen on hitting females, especially when it wasn't a Strigoi, and decided to save him the trouble.

"I think that's our cue," he replied breathlessly and I neatly folded up the papers before stuffing them into my jacket. Eva appeared beside us, looking a little out of sorts from the use of her magic. Eddie reached out his arm to help her, but she quickly swatted it away. "I'm fine," she scolded. "Let's go."

We made our way up the familiar stairs and towards the main room we had entered from. Eva was slowing with each step, and I could tell she would need to be carried soon enough. When we reached the living room my worries proved themselves right and Eva collapsed onto the carpeted floor. I was impressed she held out as long as she did and reached down to hoist her onto Eddie's back. Just before I could get her up, my hand shot to my stomach in a worthless attempt to alleviate the overcoming nausea.

Noticing my familiar tell, Eddie scooped Eva off the ground and into his arms. I reached over to a heavy artifact sitting on a nearby end-table and chunked it at one of the tinted windows. I felt slightly guilty as pieces of broken glass fell to the ground and Rhea's disapproving look sprang from my memory. Beams of light shot into the room through the shattered window and I hoped it would buy us enough time to make it to the door. I followed behind Eddie, covering his back as he raced him and Eva through the streaks of light separating the room. He adjusted his hold on her when we reached the front entry and swung the door open. Just before he stepped through, I felt a grip on my shoulder pull me back, taking a piece of my shirt and the necklace with it. My body flung against the wall near a darker corner of the room and Eddie whipped his gaze around. I shook my head, trying to righten my vision before facing my attacker. When I set my sights on him, I froze in place at the distinct demon before me.

His pale hair hung loosely over his shoulders mirroring his pristinely white ensemble. The pointed beam of light strategically behind him created a celestial glow, giving him an almost angelic appearance. But that face-splitting smile revealed his true devious nature. Nathan.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little Dhampir bitch that has been causing such a ruckus." I resisted the urge to gag at his sickening voice and met his intense stare. Realizing that I wasn't intending to make a move to retreat, Eddie tossed Eva onto the sunlit porch and turned around to face us with his stake in hand.

But before either of us could make a move, Nathan soared over to me with incredible speed and wrapped his skeletal fingers around my throat. "Tsk tsk tsk. Let's not be hasty," he looked over to Eddie, poised for attack. My back was pinned against the wall and my hands were wrapped around his wrist, desperately trying to pull out of his hold. "Make a move and I snap her throat. Do you understand?"

Eddie gritted his teeth and Nathan returned his focus back to me. "Hmmm, I could turn you now. Save Vasilisa the trouble she has been putting herself through. But that would be too easy," my air was quickly cutting off and I was having a hard time seeing straight. "I think it's time our Princess learned a lesson on who is in control here. I'm sure dropping your dead body at her feet would be a sufficient reminder." The pressure on my throat tightened to the point that I wasn't sure what would kill me first, the lack of air or the snap of my neck. I heard Eddie yell something, but dark circles were invading my senses and I couldn't make it out.

At least he was in a safe position. He had gotten Eva out and along with the others, they could still save Lissa. My loss wouldn't defeat them. Christian would stop at nothing and I was grateful she had found someone like him to be a part of her life. I hoped Nathan killed me. I welcomed it. Because anything was better than the alternative.

I closed my eyes and thought of the picture in Dimitri's bedroom. His lighthearted smiling face next to his childhood friend gradually bringing me peace.

Then suddenly, a gust of air flew into my lungs, burning them in the process, as the grip around my throat loosened. My knees gave out when my back was no longer being held up by Nathan's grasp and my palms crashed into the floor as I violently sucked in breath after breath.

"Nathan," her sweet voice pulled my vision from the ground and I snapped my attention to where the sound had come from. I could tell it wasn't the first time she had said his name. His body was frozen in place under her control, but his face was still coiled in a hateful sneer. "I told you Rose was mine."

Her possessive tone was unnerving and I became just as statuesque as the Strigoi standing above me. I had witnessed Lissa through the bond, seen the extremities she was capable of, and felt her cold, dead heart but none of that prepared me for seeing her in person. She was still so beautiful. Her elegant grace radiated off of her and if I didn't know any better, I would think it was still the same sweet girl she used to be. But the tiniest glimmer of her red eyes fixed on Nathan's instantly gave her away.

"Aw c'mon Princess. I was just having a little fun," Nathan's expression morphed into a wry smile, making him look like a naughty child who had just been caught by his scolding parent. "Besides, you know I wouldn't do anything to harm our alliance."

Despite just getting it back, I held my breath as I awaited Lissa's response. She stayed in the shadows, the beam of light separating us from the other side of the room and her hard expression was difficult to read. Her eyes never left his and I could hear my pulse beating in my ears as I waited for Lissa to command Nathan to bring me to her. When she finally opened her mouth to speak, her words sent chills down my spine. "Alliances are for those who are too weak to empower themselves."

Nathan didn't even attempt to hide his shock as his eyes widened like crimson saucers and his arrogant smile went slack. "You're looking a little pale, Nathan," a smile crept up and over Lissa's fangs. "You look like you could use a little _sun_."

His body began moving away from me and his face frantically shot down to his legs. Each slow step caused him to panic more. Then came the begging. "Vasilisa wait. Stop. I wasn't going to kill her, I swear."

Lissa's fierce gaze remained in place. Sensing an opportunity, Eddie rushed over to me and helped me to my feet. We shuffled over to the door, careful not to go on the other side of the light as Nathan slowly moved towards it. "I awakened you! You owe me!" Nathan's hysterical shouts echoed down the hall and I could sense more assailants would be upon us soon. We stepped over the unconscious form of the guard who had stopped us earlier and I wondered when that had happened. As we reached the door, I latched onto the frame and halted our escape.

"Rose, what are you doing," Eddie sharply asked.

A seething urge inside me was holding me in place and the sick curiosity took hold. I had to see it for myself. I turned my head to see Nathan slowly stepping into the beam of light. His legs immediately burst into flames as if they were doused with gasoline. His curdling screams pulsed through the room while the consuming fire crawled up his torso. His flesh began melting off his bones as the relentless flames licked across his limbs, creating a sickening scent of hot, rotted meat. That familiar pale hair was long gone and his blazing red eyes rolled towards the back of his head as his torched skull convulsed in agony. When he finally fell to his knees, his bones cracked in two and I knew there was no coming back.

I didn't dare look at Lissa for fear of getting trapped in her overpowering compulsion and darted through the door. Eddie helped a barely conscious Eva off the porch floor and we scrambled our way to the tree line. I didn't look anywhere but straight ahead until we were safely inside the car. Eva slumped into the backseat, trying to catch her breath and Eddie fired up the engine before his door was even shut. We darted away from the house and I finally allowed myself one glance behind us, all the while terrified that Nathan's flaming form would be chasing us through the woods.

* * *

 **A/N:** Okay, I know this is the longest chapter ever. I was planning to stop after the DPOV but didn't want to make y'all wait another 2 weeks for the next chapter :). Hopefully, you didn't get lost in there.


	25. Chapter 25

**Ch. 25**

 **DPOV**

 **Songs:** Prophet Story by Cobi, Two Ton Wrecking Ball by The Revivalists, Nothing's Gonna Hurt You by Cigarettes After Sex

A car pulled up to the driveway. When I peered through the upstairs window and saw the three figures emerge I felt like I could finally breathe. The past few hours seemed to drag on for ages and everything I tried to calm my nerves proved to be useless.

Rose and Eddie helped Eva out of the backseat and I was surprised to see she let them. I had seen her refuse a handout at every chance she got, and Rose's closeness seemed to repulse her most of the time. She must have been in pretty bad shape if she was allowing Rose to practically carry her inside. A covetous twinge of relief flowed through me that it wasn't Rose who was hurt, but I quickly banished it and felt shameful for indirectly wishing harm on someone else.

I heard some voices downstairs and made my way towards one of the main rooms. When I arrived Eva was seated on the couch with a bag of blood at her mouth, Christian sitting beside her and inspecting her for any other injuries. My eyes darted around the room for Rose as Eddie approached my side. When it was clear she wasn't there I looked over to Eddie expectantly. "She's fine. She just needed a minute."

He looked at me earnestly and I nodded my head in response as the others gathered around on the assorted furniture. Abe smoothed out a few pieces of paper on the coffee table and began examining them. I moved closer to the group and Eddie began explaining what had happened. My fingernails dug into my palms when he told us how the blonde Strigoi had Rose pinned and threatened to end her life. I directed my fierce gaze at Abe, but he quickly looked away from me and returned his focus back to Eddie's recollection. He told us how Vasilisa used compulsion to make Nathan walk into the sun and how he still seemed to be conscious when it happened, instead of in a dazed state like most people being compelled. Adrian was the most interested in that tidbit and asked Eddie for more explanation. I listened intently, all the while hoping that Rose would appear and prove to me that she was alright, but she never came back down. Eventually, Eva needed to rest and the others scattered in separate conversations or to their individual rooms.

I walked upstairs back towards my room and paused at Rose's along the way. I leaned my ear to her door but couldn't make out any sounds of movement. _Maybe she had gone to sleep._ I raised my hand to knock but thought better of waking her and decided that rather than appease my own selfish needs of seeing if she was okay, I would let her sleep.

I continued towards my room, not lifting my gaze from the floor. _Maybe she would come to my room again tonight._ I selfishly hoped she would, but realized those wants were exactly what I needed to refrain from now. I needed to be separating myself from her and if she was able to sleep without my comfort, that was one less thing I would have to break us of. The thought of her not needing me anymore stung like barbed wire wrapped around my heart, but it's what was best for her and I had to know she would be alright without me around.

I walked into my room and shut the door behind me, distractedly throwing my duster onto the back of a chair as my suffocating thoughts kept me occupied. I frustratingly ran my hands through my hair and finally looked up from the floor. There was a dim light in the room even though I had yet to turn one on. I peered around to find its source and a dark silhouette caught my attention. Immediately, my body stiffened but when I recognized her, my posture loosened and that selfish gratitude crept back in.

Rose was standing in front of a small burning fire across the room. She did that sometimes when she thought about the Princess. Her arms were crossed around herself as if she was trying to trap the warmth inside her. The fireplace hadn't been in use since we'd been here and I wondered if someone from the staff lit it on this cold night, or if she did.

Even from across the room I could tell she was shaking and I picked up one of the smaller quilts hanging from the edge of the sofa and made my way towards her. I lightly draped the blanket over her shoulders and placed my hands on top of it to steady her. She took a deep breath, her shoulders melting with her exhale under my touch. I chalked it up to the warmth of the quilt and reluctantly moved my hands. She pulled the blanket tighter around her as I backed away and turned to face me.

There was a troubled look in her eyes that slowly faded as we gazed at one another. "I'm glad you're back," I finally mustered out. "And that you're alright." My eyes moved to a spot on her neck where I could see a small bruise forming. My hand instinctively started to move towards it, but I stopped it halfway and forced it back down to my side. That little gesture hadn't gone unnoticed by Rose, her gaze coming up from my hands to my arms, and then all the way up to my face. Her expression was pained, her eyes filled with something I could only describe as longing. I didn't dwell on that, though. I knew I couldn't.

Even if she wanted my comfort I had to remind myself again that I needed to stay strong for her. I backed away a little further, creating a good distance between us to help keep my temptations at bay. After that, her eyes became even more somber, which didn't help with my resolve to stay away. "Did Eddie show you what we found," she asked as her focus moved to my retreating feet.

"Yes. You did well, Rose. You will have saved countless lives with this information." She beamed under my appraisal and I wondered how it could still affect her so. It astonished me that she still sought out my approval when she had proven countless times that she was far beyond novice, or even Guardian, standards.

"Thank you for trusting me to do this," her expression turned slightly more serious. "I know it wasn't easy for you being left behind." She paused for a moment, then added a little of that Rose Hathaway bravado back into her voice. "I mean, we aren't really the type to sit back quietly while others take action."

"That's not why it was hard for me to stay behind." My response was immediate and direct. I thought my tone might have sounded too stern, but as always she completely understood the meaning behind those words and her gaze once again met mine.

The warmth of the fire pulsed around her, creating a welcoming glow. I felt the familiar pull towards her under that magnetizing stare. When she looked at me like that, I sometimes got the feeling that she was looking past everything I built up around me and straight into my soul. I somehow managed to tear my eyes away from hers before I was lost in them once again. For a moment the only sound in the room was the crackling wood behind her, and the silence between us was quickly becoming more difficult to bear than not being near her.

"Did Eva say anything to you when we got back?" That serious look she wore earlier had returned and when I shook my head no, it seemed to fade a little. "She was too exhausted from the use of her magic. She's resting now. Why," I asked curiously.

Rose looked down and scuffed her foot on the carpet. "She was pretty out of it on the drive back. Her thoughts were a bit scattered, but there was one thing she was continually adamant about."

I wondered what it could've been that had Rose shying away now. Was it something about the Princess? Was she doubting her abilities to heal her? "Is it about Vasilisa? Does she not think she can help us anymore," I voiced my worries aloud.

She gave me a small smile, glad to quell my concerns. "No. If anything, she's as cocky as ever in that department. Even after what she saw back there. I'll admit what she did was impressive, but I'm not sure if I trust everything she says."

Her face became unreadable. I got the urge to ask her about what happened, but before I could her hand reached out to me and our fingers intertwined. Her skin was cold despite the heat in the room.

I'd learned back at the very beginning of our relationship, as student and mentor, that Rose was better at showing her emotions with her body than she was with words. This was her way of telling me she needed me here. This was her way of telling me she didn't want to talk about it yet.

"I agree," I responded, choosing to let the subject go. She looked at me speculatively, surprised to hear me speak negatively about Eva, so I continued, "I'm not sure what the extent of her abilities are, but I do know not everything she says has merit."

Rose's interest was definitely peaked and she probed me for more. "Like?"

I let out a sigh and ran my hand through my hair, pushing back the strands that never seemed to stay tucked away. The words left my mouth before I could think better of it. "She told me she can see auras and when she looked at ours they glow brighter. She seems to think you are in love with me and went on about how our auras shine like the sun when we are together." I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, gauging her reaction but her face gave nothing away.

I didn't know what I was expecting by saying that. It was like our roles were once again reversed—I was the one being blunt, not thinking too much about my words before they were out. I'd never thought of how annoying and frustrating that Guardian mask I had mastered years ago, to the point where it was a second nature for me to hide my feelings behind a blank expression, could be. Not until Rose threw it back at me as I bared myself true.

Maybe that was just the ultimate proof of how much we affected one another—how ever since we met I had taught her about control while she reminded me how to lose it.

"It was most likely a ploy to get information out of me. So, you can't take everything she says about you seriously. It was probably nonsense." I tried easing the significance of my previous words, aiming for calm and collected but probably ended up sounding like an awkward teenage boy.

What was it about her that made me want to reveal my deepest insecurities and desires and yet, be scared to all at the same time?

"It wasn't about me," she nervously replied. Her gaze retreated back to the floor, a few pieces of her hair spilling to the front of her shoulders while her free hand played with the edges of the blanket, the other never letting go of mine.

"What was it then," I finally asked.

Rose looked up from the ground and stared at me for a moment, studying my face. Casually, she shrugged her shoulders and let out a sigh, "It's nothing. Just some Spirit induced rubbish." Her joking tone didn't fool me and I pointedly stared at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

She was now turned to the side and spared a peek at me through her peripherals. Whatever it was, she was undoubtedly nervous to tell me. It took a lot to make Rose Hathaway nervous and even more to make her hesitant to speak her mind, which only made me more anxious by the second. She finally relented and let go of my hand as she quietly spoke. "She kept rambling about how you are hiding something and you can't be trusted." Her words filled my limbs with lead. That had been the last thing I expected. Although Eva and I had just discussed it, she had no allegiance to Rose and I never thought she would run to her with some newfound information that I had yet to confirm. "I've seen what the consequences of Spirit can do, so I don't believe what she said has any truth behind it."

It then became obvious why she was hesitant to tell me. She was afraid of offending me. _Me_. The one who was keeping secrets and hiding information about my life from her. Something we swore we would never do.

Lies were sometimes necessary, and I'd never questioned that fact. Not everybody could handle the truth. There were times when even I wasn't that strong and preferred to stay ignorant as things happened around me. Lying to Rose was an entirely different matter, though, and I'd done it too many times. Before she could defend me anymore, I interrupted her rambling argument. "She's right."

Her face darted towards me, dark locks whipping across her neck. She looked at me like she had once before, after nearly being killed, after demanding that I told her the truth about the lust charm and my feelings for her; it was a bittersweet reminder that she trusted me and that my lies, however necessary, had the power to hurt her.

And there it was again, the paradox of being in love with her. I wanted her to know me, body and soul, but I didn't want her to see how ugly it could get. But I had to trust her in that too. I had to trust that, whatever she saw in me, she wasn't going to walk away—not even if we weren't together. She had all of me, and it was time I stopped being afraid of letting her know that.

"I am hiding something," I started. "Before I left St. Vladimir's, Alberta informed me that the Moroi and Guardian Council were looking further into Vasilisa's disappearance and wanted to question me. Given my past with Ivan, and the Princess being my second Moroi lost under my charge, there was some suspicion of foul play." I could hear her start to protest, but I continued on. "I had a choice to stay and go through with their interrogation, or leave and come after you. When I made my decision, I presumably admitted guilt and they have been looking for me ever since."

I summoned up the courage to meet her gaze straight on, and immediately wished I hadn't. Rose always held me to a higher standard. I had heard the other novices revere me as a god and had occasionally heard her mutter it under her breath. But now I was proving myself to be anything but. Not only was I mortal, I was nothing. The shocked look on her face caused my rising shame to surge and I swallowed hard before continuing. "When we succeed, I can't go back. I no longer have a position with the Guardians and my reputation is worth close to nothing." She looked around confused as if what I had told her was spoken in a foreign language. "But unfortunately, that is not all."

Rose held her breath, and I could feel my insides churn. "In exchange for his help, I made an arrangement with Abe. I am in his debt, which is not a position someone like me with no job, no reputation, and no connections can afford to be in. So when this is over he will come to collect, and I will be forced to give him what he asks. Whatever that may be is up to him, but either way, my life no longer belongs to me and I have no choice of what the future holds."

Right then I understood that order is just an illusion. A thin veil merely disguising the eruption patiently waiting to disturb the peace you've worked so hard to create. For twenty-four years I was nothing but the reputation I'd fought so hard to keep, and yet here I was. In the past few weeks, I had given up my position—the only life I knew how to live—all because of someone who had turned my world upside down and made me realize that was the right position for it to be. Someone who understood me so deeply I wasn't sure where I ended and she began, or why I had been denying some truths about myself for so long. She was chaos. And now, so was I. It frightened me, but now I knew that I could never have accepted that side of myself without her.

Silence filled the room again but I refused to divert my gaze from hers. I couldn't let her think I was ashamed of the fallen man I had become, because I would rather be nothing and by her side than be everything and worlds apart.

"I—I can't believe you did that," her voice was so quiet I almost didn't hear her.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, Rose. I didn't want you to worry about me blowing our cover or anything else on top of what you are already carrying."

"Dimitri, how could you do that," her voice was louder now and angrier. "You had so much going for you and you threw it all away. It was completely irresponsible and honestly, insane!"

Her response practically floored me and I realized her initial reaction wasn't because I was now a renegade Dhampir, it was because I had chosen to give it all up for her. I retaliated with just as much force as she did. "What, and leaving you out there on your own would have been the better choice? I made you a promise Rose, that I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I'm not just going to run scared at the first sign of a threat. If faced with the same decision again, I wouldn't change a thing."

She had denounced our love before, back in my room in Baia and I held my tongue then for fear of scaring her off; but my emotions were already running high and I was getting close to my breaking point.

"Dimitri," she started, her temper falling. But I couldn't stand to hear her say anything else about how my career was somehow more important than her. The only thing that was keeping me from flat-out screaming at the top of my lungs out of frustration was the reminder of the wrong I had done her. When the guilt of Vasilisa's transformation consumed her and she couldn't even bear to look at me, I still asked her to trust me. When I admonished her for breaking that trust, I was housing secrets of my own.

"Look, I know I fucked up. I don't regret what I did, but I shouldn't have hidden it from you. I asked you not to keep secrets from me and I betrayed your trust by doing the exact opposite." I turned and walked to the window-lined wall, the mix of emotions threatening to finally break me down. "Eva's right, I've been completely untrustworthy."

"No she's not, Dimitri," her voice was soothing and sweet, but I refused to let it comfort me. I didn't deserve it. "I understand why you were hiding it. I'm not happy about it, but in your own twisted way, you were doing what you thought was best for me. Somehow even when you think you are doing wrong, you are still doing what is right for me." I took a breath, letting her words seep in and allowed a tiny semblance of relief.

"But she was right about something else," she paused and my eyes shut as I braced myself for whatever reprehension I was about to receive. "That I do still love you."

I thought I had imagined it at first. My eyes shot open as those words echoed in my ears. I turned around slowly to confront her and one look at her face told me I hadn't been mistaken.

"I'm so sorry for how I've acted Dimitri. For constantly pushing you away. There was so much going on in my head and I couldn't think straight, but now I see clearly. And I completely understand if your love has faded, god knows I deserve it for the way I've treated you."

Her words spilled out, on and on, but I didn't hear a thing. The only sound that resonated were those few sweet words. She loved me. Rose actually said that she loved me. In three strides I closed the distance between us and cupped her face in my hands, pulling her in for a searing kiss. The quilt over her shoulders dropped to the floor as her arms reached around to clutch my back and pull me closer. I felt like the small flames beside us burst into the size of the sun and filled the room with impassioned heat. I kissed her like it was the first, and last time I ever would. Like I would never get a chance to feel those perfect lips upon mine again, and she returned it with just as much devotion and vigor.

When I finally pulled back our breathing was erratic, our chests heaving simultaneously pressed against each other. I placed my forehead to hers and stared deep into her familiar brown eyes. "Say it again," I whispered breathlessly. I had been denied her love for so long, unable to give her mine and a part of me was left with doubt. I had to know it was real.

"I love you, Dimitri Belikov." I moved one of my hands to the back of her neck and gently stroked her cheek with the other, spellbound when I found she didn't vanish into smoke under my touch. She was here. This was real. And she loved me.

Her heavenly words and the dim golden light caused her eyes to shimmer. They danced across my face, inspecting every part of it like it was the first time she was seeing me. It took a while to admit to myself, and even longer to act on it, but once I realized that I loved Rose Hathaway, I knew there would be no turning back. She acted with reckless abandon, she drove me mad; but she was fearless, she was undeniably loyal, and she was the embodiment of life. She was my strength and my weakness, and nothing would ever change that.

I recognized the glimmer of questioning hope on her face and banished it with a declaration of my own. "I love you, Roza. Now and always." She inhaled a short breath as I once again brought our lips together.

I gave into everything I had been denied of and poured all of my love into that kiss. Her lips were soft, yet fierce against mine, her unyielding passion that made her always seem so _alive_ growing more and more. As I let down those barriers and completely succumbed to her, it was like every small piece of me that was broken off throughout the troubles of my life were being pulled back together under her embrace and I became whole once again.

Her hands moved from my back and up my chest, her fingers splayed across it leaving a burning trail behind them. I could feel my skin heating up under the thin cotton material of my t-shirt as my blood rushed to the surface; every part of me longing to be as close to her as possible. My body instinctively called out to her and answering its call, she tugged at the ends of my shirt and pulled it up against my stomach. I moved my hands to her wrists to keep her from ripping it and she pushed her knuckles against me to give us enough space for me to rid myself of the intruding fabric.

My instinct was to immediately move back to her plump lips, but her dazed expression halted me. Those gorgeous brown eyes were hooded under her long lashes and she took a small, staggering step back. An instant later Rose's fingertips reached out to me and slowly moved down my chest and abs, her gaze longingly following them as her bottom lip slipped under her teeth. I moved a hand up to her chin and freed that stubborn lip from its tight hold. She looked up at me bashfully and I gave her a sexy smile in return, suddenly aware of how new all of this still was to her.

Her competitive nature kicked in and not wanting to give me the upper hand for even an instant she moved her hips in a sultry roll as she crossed her arms around them and slowly pulled her shirt over her head. I sucked in a deep breath through my nose, trying not to let her see how much that maneuver affected me. But by the satisfied look on her face, I had obviously failed. Never one to back down from a winning blow, Rose saw an opportunity to best me again and reached for the button of her pants. Any semblance of control I managed to hold onto up until that point was completely gone.

I moved over to her and placed my hands over hers, causing her eyes to dart to mine. I held my position for a moment before pulling down the zipper and hooking my thumbs into her jeans. Keeping my eyes fixed on hers I slowly knelt down to the ground, pulling her pants with me and tracing my fingers along her exposed skin. As soon as they reached her ankles, she stepped out of the pants and kicked them to the side. I finally broke my gaze from hers and examined every part of her body splayed before me. Unable to resist myself, I kissed the top of her thighs and wrapped my hands around to cup her voluptuous cheeks. I heard a small gasp escape her when my lips moved to her lower abdomen. I looked up at Rose and she pulled my hair free from its tie so she could stroke her fingers through it, the feeling sending tiny bolts of electricity across my scalp.

I brought myself to stand in front of her and she rested her hands on my shoulders, bringing her lips to mine once again. All time was lost on me and I couldn't recall how long we stayed there, but eventually, we found our way to the end of the bed, only separating long enough to remove the remnants of our obstruent clothes. She nudged me back to sit on the bed and I pulled her down with me, refusing to let her out of my grasp for even an instant and needing her to feel my love pulse through my body into hers.

I trailed rough kisses down her neck and earned appreciative moans from her as my hands roamed every area of her body they could find; worshiping her smooth, tan skin that always seemed to smell like warm honey. Every point I caressed felt like perfection under my calloused hands—say for the small etches on her neck. I hadn't been there when she received her most recent marks and found myself unconsciously running one of my fingers along them as I kissed my favorite spot under her ear.

When I pulled back to breathe, her eyes held the tiniest hint of sadness with my hand resting on those everlasting memories. A reminiscent back to a similar situation sparked through my mind, _"One day you'll have more marks than me."_ That statement was becoming truer by the day and I regretted it with every bone in my body. Always knowing where my thoughts led, she reached behind her neck and pulled my hand to her mouth, planting a small kiss on my palm. Before they even manifested their presence in her skin, she knew the importance those marks held from my own tattoos. I didn't need to tell her that I knew the heaviness behind them and would do everything I could to keep those marks from consuming her, because she already knew. Just as I did that night in my bedroom. She read my soul like an open book just as I was reading hers now.

Her light kisses trailed up my arm and to my neck, causing my eyes to shut and my head to lean back. My body followed it until I was laying on the bed with Rose's body pressed against me. I let out a rumbling groan as her tongue grazed my pulse point and a light giggle vibrated off my shoulder as she slowly sat up. That sound pulled my eyelids up and I gazed in awe at the magnificent sight before me.

She was stunning. Even in the dim light, I could see every curve, every peak, all the little pieces of her that came together to form this gorgeous creature above me.

"You're so beautiful," I reached my hand up to her dark, luscious hair and her eyes gravitated to my voice. Her fingers traced light, admiring paths across my shoulders, my chest, and my stomach, rediscovering each part of me as her hungry eyes raked over my bare body. I couldn't help mine as they did the same.

"So are you," her shaky voice mimicked the same phrase she spoke to me after our dance at the ball. It brought back the feelings of being so close to her, yet not nearly close enough.

Not wanting to be away from her for another second, I sat up and pulled her flush against me. I couldn't quite shake the fear that she would slip away again, but her reassuring gaze banished my worries and my almost desperate grasp loosened. My fingertips brushed down her spine and her body shuddered under my light touch. I imagined them leaving behind tiny messages of all those unspoken words between us.

We fell into a rhythmic haze of entrancing euphoria. Rose's movements stole my breath and gave it back. Every time we began to pull apart, an outside force gripped around us, dragging us back in. Her hands tangled themselves in my hair, pushing me forward with abandon. The overwhelming sensations took hold of her and I became enthralled watching her come undone in my arms.

Eventually, her name was the only coherent thought I could shape, and it repeatedly fell out of my mouth over and over in whispered hushes; just like the dozens of prayers I had spoken beside her sleeping form in the dead of night. I whispered it into her ear, moaned it against her throat, kissed it across her skin as she gripped me tighter.

When we finally released, she gasped out my name, a single tear forming in the corner of her eye. I never thought much about my name before. There was nothing special about it—just a word used to identify me. But hearing it come out of her lips bathed in worship and ecstasy, it was the most beautiful word I had ever heard. I thought for a split second about how happy I was it belonged to me, but then realized just like everything else I possessed, it no longer did. It belonged to her.

I used the edge of my thumb to delicately smooth away the tiny droplet, and she looked down at me with a smile. A smile that exuded relief, euphoria, and above all else—love.

* * *

 **A/N:** You can either kiss or kick TiA995, depending on how you receive the chapter, for convincing me to write it. Thanks girl for giving me the ultimate shove to try it out! It was definitely an adventure. This was a truly collaborative chapter. The DH Godmother, ohorpheuss, added so much of her beautiful poetry to Dimitri's side—that she does so well. Her internal dialogues are second to none! And thank you again Gigi256 for taking the time to provide me your amazing wisdom. I truly appreciate all of yall's help. You girls rock!

Bonus Track: Into My Arms by Emma Louise


	26. Chapter 26

**Ch. 26**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Golden (Acoustic) by Becca Mancari, Feeling Ok by Best Coast**

I waited for the nightmares from the hours before to rear their heads and ruin this moment, but they never did. Under Dimitri's touch, they melted away and I felt completely safe.

I had spent my entire life convincing myself I didn't need anyone to take care of me. With an absentee mother as my only family, and a responsibility to willingly lay down my life for my best friend, it was understandable that my needs would always come second—or not at all.

Somewhere along the way though, those needs began to manifest and take hold of me. I guess I was too naïve in the beginning to understand where those feelings could lead, but as my love continued to grow for Dimitri, so did that uncontrollable want and desire to put myself first. I thought by doing so, I had failed in my duty and sacrificed my best friend. She was gone, and I was here. It's not how things were supposed to be. I was the one who was supposed to die, and she was the one meant to live.

But when I felt her the other night, I sensed that residual life reaching out of her. Reaching towards me. I couldn't have found it without Dimitri, and I suddenly felt that need taking over again. It scared me how badly I wanted his love and terrified me even more how much I wanted to give him mine. No matter how much I trained or how strong I tried to be, his love was the only thing powerful enough to help me fulfill my duty and bring Lissa back. And if I was being honest with myself, it was the only thing that I had ever truly wanted for my own.

When I finally freed myself from the guilt and succumbed to that burning need within me, I felt like a piece of my soul that was shattered the day I lost Lissa was somehow being put back together. I realized that I hadn't just lost her that day, and in a way, I had lost Dimitri as well.

Protecting Lissa was my purpose in this world and I would do anything I could to make sure she was safe and with me again. My life was devoted to her and that was my choice, but Dimitri held a place in my heart that no one could ever have.

I had fallen asleep wrapped in his arms after the overwhelming feeling of completeness sent me over the edge. I woke to a faint smell of worn paperbacks and wondered how long he had waited in the library for me to return. I peeked open my eyes one at a time to see that my Russian god was still asleep. He looked completely at ease with the faintest hint of a smile sitting in place. I rested my chin on his chest and couldn't help but gaze at him; admiring the gorgeous curves of his face and his now loose hair falling delicately over his shoulders. The image of my hands tangled in it last night sent a shiver up my back and I bit my bottom lip to keep from making an uncontrollable sound.

"I can feel you staring, Roza." His eyes were still shut as the words slipped out of his soft lips that I now felt an urge to ravish.

"Well, it's not every day one gets to witness perfection, Comrade." That small smile grew and wanting to keep it there, I peppered small kisses across his chest.

"Mmm moya milaya," his thick accent languidly rolled out like velvet. I used to think the Russian language sounded harsh and always slightly menacing, but not when Dimitri spoke it. He had a way of sounding strong, yet sexy and melodious in his native tongue. I had to admit, it did things to me.

"What does that mean," I asked breathlessly.

"Hmm?" He finally opened his eyes, sleep still partially hooding them.

"What you said. What does it mean," I asked again, giving him a small smile as I stared into those beautiful brown orbs.

His expression quickly turned from sleepy to sheepish. "Guardian secret."

"Oh really?" I lifted my head off his chest and matched his teasing tone. He nodded, a sexy smile playing on his lips. "I'm sure I can find a way to get those secrets out of you." I pressed my chest tighter against his torso, giving him a spectacular view of my rack. He raised an eyebrow and bit the inside of his lip, but still refused to give anything up.

 _Fine. He wanted to play dirty? I practically invented it._ I tossed my hair over my shoulder and snaked my hands up his arms to his chest, all the while slowly rolling my hips against his. He let out a soft groan that vibrated against my breasts. I leaned towards his neck and planted wet kisses up to his pulse point. Ready to deliver the winning blow, I nibbled on his earlobe and whispered against his tan skin, "Please, Dimitri. Tell me."

"Fuck, Roza," he raggedly huffed before flipping me over and ravaging my mouth. His tongue rolled across mine voraciously until he caught mine with his teeth and sucked on the end of it. A deep moan filled our mouths—I wasn't sure if it came from him or me—and he released his hold to look down at me. "I love it when you beg."

I smacked him on the shoulder and he let out a small laugh at my impatience, the lustful hunger still radiating from his eyes. "It can mean many things," he explained as he stroked my hair, his gaze following his fingers as they moved from my scalp to the loose ends. "But it most closely translates to 'my darling' in your language."

I was touched by his sweet term of endearment and couldn't help the faint blush that rose to my cheeks. I had always been self-assured, maybe even overly confident at times, but Dimitri had a way of making me feel humbled and shy just with a look. I don't know what it was about him, but he had an act for unnerving me in the best way. "Hmm, I could get used to that," I cooed. "And this," unwilling to let his sweetness completely overtake me, I moved my hands around his back and gripped his bare ass, flashing him a wicked smile.

His eyes widened at my brazen maneuver and he indulged in my teasing. "Roza, I am not just some piece of meat."

"Oh, but if you were, Comrade you would be prime grade." I wiggled my eyebrows at him and he let out a low chuckle as his head dropped in defeat. When he looked back up to me, I thought my heart might explode. He was completely unguarded with a relaxed smile plastered on his face, leaving himself open for only me to see. It was so rare that he showed his true emotions behind that mask he coveted, and I knew I was witnessing something infinitely precious. I reached my hand up to his cheek and stared deep into his eyes. "I love you, Dimitri."

Those eyes danced across my face, the early morning light bringing out tiny specs of amber mixed with the molten brown. "I'll never get tired of hearing that," he breathed out as he took my hand in his and kissed the tips of my fingers. His tenderness threatened to undo me once again as he slowly leaned down to bring his lips to mine. Unlike the one I woke up to, this kiss was soft and deep as the ocean, filled with every resplendent emotion you could imagine. Surging waves of heat crashed inside me. I felt like I would melt and drift away with the current if he wasn't holding on to me. My body reacted by molding itself to his, unable to have any part of me not within his grasp. If I was going to melt away, I wanted to melt into him.

His body pressed into mine, the weight of him simultaneously grounding me and making me feel lighter than air. Even though every part of us was connected and his lips were entangled in mine, I wanted to be closer. I needed to be closer.

So once again, I gave into that need as Dimitri Belikov made sweet love to me under the early morning sun.

\

After a much-needed shower, and several protests from my stomach, we headed downstairs to the kitchen in search of food. When we walked in, Christian was sitting alone at the breakfast bar with his hands tangled in his hair. He had been putting up a good front since we started this mission, but it was becoming more and more obvious how much everything was weighing on him now.

Dimitri and I shared a concerned look before walking over to greet him. Christian didn't even budge from that solemn position until I spoke out, only proving how lost in his thoughts he was. "Morning," his shoulders flinched and his hands dropped to the counter at the sound of my voice.

"Hey," he robotically replied without moving his gaze. It was understandable that the retelling of yesterday's events would set him on edge. Granted, I had to witness it in person where Chris was just getting the secondhand information, but this was all still so new to him. I had witnessed Lissa's cruelty through the bond several times now—don't get me wrong, I was nowhere near used to it and it still scared this shit out of me—but I had also seen a darker side of Lissa before.

Prior to leaving the academy the first time she had lost control of herself and wreaked havoc on a Moroi boy after she found him mistreating a human feeder. It had happened again with Jesse when she entered his mind and tortured him with frightening images through Spirit magic. I knew it was the darkness taking over and not really her, but it also prepared me for the gruesome truth that there was a dark side to her that no one really knew about. Christian had only seen the good. I had hoped to keep it that way, but if he wanted to help her heal, he would need to know the truths of what she had done. I only hoped he would still be able to see the good in her too.

I moved to sit by him but didn't press him to talk. "So, Comrade. What's for breakfast?" Dimitri tried, and failed, to repress a smirk as he reached into the fridge. I inconspicuously gazed at his backside as he rummaged through it, but was sorely disappointed to see what was in his hands when he turned around.

"I'm meeting Eddie in five for training," he said as he tossed me a yogurt and a banana. "So, quick breakfast it is." I let out an exaggerated grown and grimaced at the oddly shaped fruit in front of me. Dimitri's amused chuckle pulled Christian's droll stare up and I could see him glancing at us out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll see you in ten, Rose. Christian, you're welcome to join too," he added as he took a bite of an apple.

Christian sarcastically laughed with a, "Yeah. Sure."

Dimitri shrugged and tossed his apple core into the waste bin. He dusted off his hands while he walked over to me and wrapped one of them around the back of my neck, pulling me a tiny bit closer as he placed a small kiss on the top of my head. Before I could react he was already out the door, and I was left with a pale, gawking Moroi.

I opened my yogurt and avoided his bulging stare. I picked up a spoon and began to stir the creamy goo, looking anywhere but at him. After scooping up a spoonful and looking at it—twice—Christian finally blurted out, "Oh, c'mon we both know you're not going to eat that!"

I gave him a sidelong glance a focused back on the pink gunk in front of me. "Seriously? You'd rather put something relatively healthy in your mouth than acknowledge... _that_?!"

"What," I shrugged my shoulders at him noncommittally, finally meeting his dumbfounded stare.

"So you two," he pointed at me and then the door, "you're a thing now? I mean you're together?"

His tone wasn't necessarily accusatory or ill-natured in any way but looking at him and hearing those words aloud, my mood suddenly plummeted. I dropped the spoon back into the container and looked down at the counter. "I—I don't know."

"You don't know," his questioning voice lowered as he studied me.

I glanced at him sitting there and couldn't help but think how Lissa should be standing beside him. How she should be the one asking me about Dimitri. But she couldn't. And I didn't know for sure if she ever would.

"I mean, he's obviously crazy about you, we can all see it. And you care about him too. Right?"

"I love him." My face shot towards Chris', the words flying out of my mouth without even a second thought. He raised an eyebrow at me, _ugh could everyone do that except me_ , obviously a little surprised by the finality in my tone.

It sounded so simple. We cared about each other. That should be enough. "But is that fair," I asked with uncertainty now.

The guilt must have been written all over my face because Christian seemed to sense exactly where my train of thought had gone and grew more somber.

"Rose, you're allowed to be happy." My brow scrunched and the usual dark thoughts started to creep their way in. I could feel myself about to argue and struggle to turn away from the same guilt-ridden pattern, but then, Christian did something unexpected. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "It's what Lissa would want."

Somehow hearing those words come out of his mouth made more of an impact than the others who had been trying to tell me the same thing. He of all people would have every right to be furious with me. Here I was practically flaunting my love in front of him when his love was still trapped in a dark abyss. However, he knew Lissa—almost as well as I did—and he wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. He was reaffirming my deepest hopes and for once, I felt confident in the choice I had made.

I gave him a small smile and nodded my head in gratitude. He smiled back, then removed his hand and shook off the awkward moment we had suddenly found ourselves in.

"Dimitri's right," I stood from the counter and made my way towards the pantry. "You should come to the gym with us." I heard him scoff behind me as I grabbed one of the boxes of the French equivalent Pop-tarts they had stashed away.

"I'm serious. It would help you let off some steam. Besides, from what I saw the other day with you and Adrian, it looked like you could use a few pointers in combat."

"Bite me."

"Oooh, feisty are we?" I took a chomp of my pastry and smirked at him with a full mouth, knowing how much it bothered him. He shook his head, his face contorting somewhere between disgusted and insulted. "C'mon Sparky. You can watch me kick Eddie's ass. It will be cathartic. And I'm sure we can find something fireproof for you to try and burn." And with that, he was up and out the door with me.

\

"C'mon Belikov! Get her!"

"You got this Rose! Go for the balls!"

After a couple warm-up rounds, Eddie had convinced Dimitri and me to spar for our growing audience. Eva had finally risen in search for Christian, and Adrian soon after joined the fray. We had been sparring for almost 40 minutes and although we were drenched from the workout, we still managed to keep it light.

Our friends' shouts spurred us on and after Abe walked in, I could have sworn I heard him and Adrian placing bets. Dimitri reached for me and I deftly ducked below his grasp and slid myself through his legs so that I could hop up and jump onto his back. I heard one of them yell "nutmeg" at the maneuver as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Caught ya lookin'," I playfully whispered into his ear.

He gripped his hands around my forearms and flung me over his head, but before my butt could slam into the ground, I tucked and rolled to stand in front of him again. "Well, I couldn't help it. The view is pretty spectacular." He lifted his eyebrows suggestively and I couldn't help but smile at his flirtatious banter.

"Finish him!"

I saw Dimitri prepare for one of his signature moves and prepared myself to dart out of the way. Just as he launched his attack, I started to veer right, but after my first step my feet felt glued to the floor and I couldn't move. "What the—" before I could process what was happening, I looked up to see Dimitri barreling towards me. He pulled me into his bear-like clutch and tossed me to the ground, his hand hitting my chest and my back hitting the floor simultaneously, signaling my demise.

Our friends jumped up from the sidelines with a mix of cheers and groans. I looked over to them walking towards us and could see a sly smirk perched on Eva's face. "Hey! Unfair," I whined as Dimitri helped me up.

Eddie emerged beside me and with a deep Russian imitation, he said, "You must be prepared for anything, Rose." Dimitri rolled his eyes as I cracked up and fist-pounded Eddie for his impeccable impression.

I turned back to Dimitri and poked his chest. "Next time Belikov, your ass is mine." The look he gave me suggested that he took an alternative meaning to my faux-threat and my already red face started to heat up under his gaze.

Christian walked up with a huge grin on his face and Eva in tow with an equally mischievous look. "You're right, Rose. That was cathartic."

"Ha, ha, ha," I crooned, then pointed between him and Eva. "I take it the two of you were in on that together?"

"She didn't need much convincing," he shrugged.

"Besides," Eva added. "It gave me another brilliant idea."

"And what's that? Using your mind control games to send me off the top of the roof?"

She replied with a simple, "no," but the look she wore told me she was pocketing that idea for a rainy day. "I think I know of a way we can get the Princess to meet us."

"And," I probed. She paused dramatically and turned her focus to Adrian as he approached our group. We all followed her stare and his amused smile quickly faded to confusion.

"What," he took a step back, wary of all of our gazes pointed directly at him. "Don't tell me Belikov wants to challenge me next?"

"Hardly," Christian responded with an exaggerated eye roll.

Adrian expressed his gratitude and physically relaxed, but after Eva explained her "brilliant" idea he immediately tensed up again. "Never mind. I'll take my chances against Belikov instead."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you to all the guest reviewers from the last chapter. Sorry I can't respond to you, but your kind words mean the world!

Bonus track: Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello. It is a Rose POV after all ;).


	27. Chapter 27

**Ch. 27**

 **Eva POV**

 **Songs: Space Oddity by David Bowie**

For a grown man, Adrian sure could be a big baby when he wanted to be. "You saw what happened last time. I'm _not_ doing that again!" After I told him about my plan, he bolted from the gym, forcing me and Rose to run after him. Drama queen.

"Just picture all the power and riches she probably offered you and succumb to it. It should be a lot easier giving in than fighting back," I argued as we stepped into his room. Adrian had said Vasilisa didn't give him an address or any means of contact, but it made me wonder how she expected him to accept her offer then. I wondered if there was another part of her compulsion that Adrian hadn't accessed yet since he had spent so much time fighting it.

"Oh and risk going crazy again? Sounds like a great idea. I'll jump right on that." His sarcasm rivaled even Christian's and I could see his hand ghosting over the place in his pocket that usually housed a box of cigarettes. He shook his hand away and gripped onto the arm of a nearby chair as he sat down. "Besides, that's not what she offered," he paused. "I mean, yeah she did, but that wasn't the winning grand prize."

"Well, what was," Rose pressed.

He looked at her slightly surprised for a moment, then nervously ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes as if he was either trying to remember, or mentally preparing himself for what he was about to say. "You, Rose. She offered me you."

"What? Offered me? What does that even—" and then the green light went off. Her face completely fell and she stared at Adrian wide-eyed.

"Don't look at me like that. I said no, okay?"

"Adrian. I—"

"Stop. I don't need to hear it. I know you love Belikov. Always have. But I can't just turn my feelings off like that," he enunciated with a snap of his fingers. So he was in love with her too?

 _Seriously, what is the deal with this girl? Does she have three tits or something?_

"Hey!" I looked up to Rose and Adrian's pissed stares and realized I must have accidentally said that last thought out loud. Wups. "Uh, sorry," I looked down and took a step back to give them some space.

"Not that I'd need three tits anyways," Rose flicked her hair behind her shoulder and flashed me a saucy look.

"Not helping, Rose," Adrian groaned.

"Right. Sorry." She dropped her hands from her hips and moved to step towards Adrian, but I intercepted her before she could say anything else. "Well, whatever it is you just need to give in and see what happens when you are no longer fighting her. If it turns out to be a dead end, I'll intervene."

Adrian looked between our questioning faces then let out a long sigh. "I swear, you women are going to be the death of me someday."

"I have a feeling that's probably true," he frowned at my poorly timed joke, "but not today," I added. "Now, take off the charm and hand it to me. When you feel her pull, don't fight it. Let it take over and see where it leads you. I'll be on the edge of your thoughts in case you need help coming back, or don't remember what happened when we put the charm back on."

"Only a demented person can make something so crazy sound so easy." I smirked at the irony of Adrian's statement. He shook his shoulders and took in a couple deep breaths then moved his hand to the bracelet.

"Wait," Rose's voice caused him to pause. She reached out to him and placed her hand on his forearm, looking him deep in his emerald eyes. "Good luck." Rose gave his arm a tight squeeze then took position beside him. With that little boost of confidence the charm was off, and in my hand. As soon as it fell from his fingers I could see the dark cloud around him building. For a minute it just hovered there on the outskirts of his aura and I quietly pushed him forward. "Don't fight it." Adrian closed his eyes and scrunched his brows as he let the darkness overtake his aura. I decided it was a good a time as any to jump in with him, but was careful not to delve fully into his mind for fear of getting trapped in her compulsion with him.

I could see an image forming in his thoughts. It was foggy around the edges, like an old movie. A flash of dark hair whipped passed his vision, sharpening the scene. It was Rose. She was on a dancefloor in that red dress she had worn to the ball and was gesturing towards Adrian to come to her. I could feel in his mind he was teetering on the edge of accepting her hand or turning away, but he finally caved and swept her into his arms.

The whole scene looked so real, but there was something different about this Rose. Her eyes were too bright, her smile too big. The image looked and sounded like her, but something didn't quite compare. I could tell Adrian sensed the same thing but when this other Rose leaned in to kiss him, he accepted and pulled her closer to him. Feeling his overbearing joy and pain simultaneously rush in with that embrace, caused me to falter a little and for the first time ever...I felt bad for Adrian Ivashkov.

Suddenly, the darkness grew even more and the scene was transported into a dark study with blood red furniture. Adrian was sitting across from the Princess next to a low burning fire. A sickly-sweet smile crawled up her lips, reminding me of the same look she wore when she compelled that blonde Strigoi into the sunlight to meet his demise. "When the time comes and you have accepted my offer, you will remember this," she began. So I was right. There was another part of her compulsion that Adrian had yet to access.

"Yes," he responded robotically.

"When you are ready to bring Christian to me, I want to you call The Ivy in Paris and ask for Marceau. He will relay the information to me then will contact you again with details on where to meet. Do you understand?"

"Yes," his monotone accompanied a nod this time.

"Very good, Adrian. And I do hope you accept. It will make things so much _easier_ for you." Her wicked grin grew wider and I could feel the darkness pulling Adrian in. A similar grin began to form on his face and I felt scared that maybe I had pushed him too much. Maybe we had gone too far. I was about to reach out to him with my own Spirit magic but could feel something blocking me. The image in front of us faded to pitch black and panic quickly began to set in as I scrambled for another way around the wall. If he was no longer fighting at all, I wasn't sure if the silver charm would work. I reached for it anyway, but before I could put it on his wrist he smacked my hand away and it tumbled across the floor.

I sucked in a small breath and my eyes went wide. "What is it? What's happening?" Rose's panicked voice wasn't helping ease my nerves and instead of answering her I diverted my focus back to Adrian's mind. It was still cased in darkness, but if I looked deep enough, I could see a small flicker of light. His Spirit. "Hold on to it," I tried to interpret to him, but my voice seemed to bounce off that invisible wall and back into my own head.

"Shit," I cursed out loud. I was about out of options and desperately wished Josette was there. She would know what to do. She would know how to help. I was on the verge of freaking out and was about to tell Rose to go to my room and grab every charm that Elara had made when suddenly I felt a jolt.

That small light inside of him began to grow. It was slow at first, almost like the beginning signs of the breaking dawn. Small rays of light peeking out in the distant night sky. But out of nowhere, those rays exploded into a mass of blinding beams, splitting the black abyss into a thousand pieces. I pulled myself out of his head and blinked away the bright spots from my vision. When I looked up at him, his aura was pulsing with a white glow, quickly banishing away the dark fog that had completely taken over only moments ago. His face was no longer strained and a serene calmness rested on his features. Within seconds the black intrusions were completely gone and Adrian let out a relieved breath.

He slowly opened his eyes and peered around for a second, taking in his surroundings. An instant later his face darted to me and with a stupefied look he said, "Did you see that?!"

I nodded my head and let out a small laugh at his excitement. I always knew that he wasn't living up to the full potential of his powers, but it seemed like he didn't actually believe that fact until now. Vasilisa's skills were some of the strongest I had ever seen and Adrian had managed to best her. He reached deep inside and pulled himself back all on his own. I had to admit, I was thoroughly impressed.

"I guess you didn't need my help after all," I stood up and patted him on the back. "Good job." He looked at me with that cocky grin of his and I quickly felt the urge to correct my compliment to keep his ego from outgrowing the room. "I mean, it looks like I'm not the only one who underestimated you."

My attempt failed and his smile grew even bigger. "Thanks, Red."

"Whatever," I shrugged noncommittally, but I couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride in him.

Rose knelt down in front of the chair so that they were face to face and Adrian tried to look away, but it was like he couldn't help his focus from being pulled to her. How did I not notice that before? She looked over his shoulder at me and quietly asked, "Can you give us a minute?"

I didn't need any other prompting. I clumsily walked around the edge of the other furniture and out the door as quickly as I could. That was one awkward conversation I most certainly did _not_ want to be a part of.

I was in such a hurry that after I closed the door behind me I ran straight into a solid form. " _Umph_. Hey, watch it," I fussed. I straightened up to see Eddie and Christian hovering near the door. They must have been eavesdropping or waiting to hear the outcome.

"Sorry," Eddie whispered as his eyes flicked behind me.

"So..?" Chris looked at me expectantly.

He was practically bouncing on his feet. I knew if we failed, our options were slim and after his reaction to yesterday's events, disappointing him was the last thing I wanted to do. I grinned, happy to ease his worries and replied, "It worked."

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Call on Me by Big Brother & The Holding Company and Janis Joplin, Float on by Ben Lee, Stand By Me by Florence and The Machine, Headrest For My Soul by AWOLNATION**

As soon as the door closed behind Eva, I could hear a hushed conversation outside but promptly ignored it. Adrian sat there awkwardly and for the first time, I had no idea what to say to him. He had become such an important person in my life, and I was terrified of losing him, but I also had to defend my love for Dimitri. I wasn't sure where to begin so I decided to go with bold.

"I'm sorry I've been such a dick, Adrian," he laughed at my brazen choice of words and I gave him a small smile before turning serious again. "Really, though. I think I always knew that there was more behind the light-hearted flirting, but I needed you so much I didn't want to accept it," I took a pause and hovered my hand over his, but thought better of it and moved it back down to my side. "Your friendship means the world to me, and it was selfish of me to string you along that way." Even though I had given him shit about it before, those check-in's through his spirit dreams got me through some of my hardest days. Even when I was practically catatonic, he was nothing shy of supportive.

"If it weren't for you, I would probably still be hole up in that pitch black room." I didn't want to think back to that time. A time when I had been weak. When I had shut out everyone that cared about me. But I needed Adrian to know I recognized exactly how much he had done for me.

Sensing my uneasiness, he reached for the hand I had moved earlier and held it in his. Even though I was supposed to be the one comforting him, there he was, finding ways to ease my nerves yet again. He really was a better man than anyone would ever give him credit for.

"Your happiness is what matters most, Rose and I know one day your friendship will be more than enough for me." He reached up his other hand and ran his thumb across my cheek so lightly, I thought I might have imagined his touch. The gesture brought me back to a moment in my room at St. Vlad's. I had seen a similar look back then too, but my stubborn guilt was there to shoo him away. Watching him now, I realized it would be so easy to fall in love with Adrian Ivashkov. Apart from his good looks and devil-may-care charm, he had seen me at my worst and constantly found ways to try and bring me back to my best. But a part of me knew it just wasn't the same.

My whole life I had always put someone else first. With Adrian, it would be the same way. After experiencing the feeling of someone putting _me_ first, I never wanted to let that go. It took a long time for me to realize that not only was what Dimitri and I were feeling not wrong, but it was utterly and completely right. A life with Adrian would be fun, exciting, and glamorous. But being with Dimitri was like finally coming home. A place and a feeling I had never really had before him. I loved him with every part of my being, and I knew I could never feel that for my dear friend sitting across from me.

Sensing my train of thoughts he added, "Until then, there's always my dreams," he winked and brought his hand back down to his side.

He smiled one of those infamous self-assured smiles that only he could pull off that well, but I could still see a spec of sadness behind those deep green eyes. "I'm so sorry Adrian. Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive Little Dhampir," he whispered as he pulled me in for a tight hug. I stayed in his embrace for a few more lingering moments and soaked up his assuring words. When he pulled away, he lightly gripped my shoulders and faced me head on. "Just promise me one thing."

I was hesitant to say yes but trusted him not to ask me something I would regret agreeing to, so I gave him a reluctant nod. "Maybe don't mention this to Belikov? It would be a lot harder to catch the next girl that comes around if he permanently fucks up my face."

Seriously? He just witnessed a Spirit induced compulsion that almost drove him permanently mad and was about to have to face evil-Lissa in person and was cool as a cucumber, but the thought of my boyfriend going into a jealous rage had him practically shaking in his boots. Only Adrian.

"It would be a travesty to commit damage to such beauty," I brought the back of my hand to my forehead and gave him my best Scarlett O'Hara impression, earning me an outright laugh.

"You stole the words right off my tongue, Little Dhampir."

\

Not long after Adrian made his call to Marceau, he received another one in return with details on when and where to meet. Apparently, the basement of the B&B had been converted into a hall that they sometimes used for conferences, meetings, and other boring human stuff. Lissa requested that Adrian bring Christian there tomorrow at midnight.

It sounded like some twisted Cinderella tale—where the Princess was a psychotic bitch and the Prince was coming in to literally set her world on fire.

We all gathered together in Abe's enormous room to fine tune the details and lay out our plan of action. Chris and Adrian would go in first under the illusion that Adrian had accepted Lissa's offer, giving the rest of us the chance to pick off any of her followers standing guard or at the ready as backup.

Once we were in, we would use a combination of the bond and Christian's fire magic to subdue her long enough for Eva to perform the restoration. After witnessing her shift in emotions the other night, we figured it would be the best way to get her to see reason and work with us rather than against us. I only hoped it would be enough. I preferred Adrian stay behind for this part in case things went south, but Eva assured us that he had already broken through Lissa's compulsion once and it would be beneficial to have someone with a level head down there. Adrian's reaction to someone describing him as level-headed gave us all a good laugh. Abe would be waiting outside with Pavel and a couple other Guardians from his personal guard in case back-up was needed. We figured the fewer people we had coming in, the less likely we were to raise suspicion. Not to mention, fewer people for Lissa to try and turn against us with her dark magic.

"There's one other tidbit I should probably address," I added. "Nikolai."

"Who the hell's Nikolai," Christian asked irritated.

"He's a Goliath-sized Strigoi that Lissa keeps around as her personal bodyguard. I've never seen one so huge, and he's skilled. Really skilled. I'm pretty sure he was a Guardian in his former life." Size was one thing—an intimidation tactic at best—but after seeing how fast he moved against Nathan in the Dragomir's office, I knew he would be trouble.

"She'll most likely keep him close, so a surprise attack on him won't be an option. We just have to be prepared to go up against him." Dimitri and Eddie nodded, and I could tell different scenarios were rotating through their thoughts.

After drilling through the ins and outs of the plan about a hundred times, thanks to Dimitri's 'you can never be too prepared' philosophy, we were about spent.

"Well, I think that is enough for one day," Abe jumped in, earning sighs of relief from half the room. "I have had Louise prepare a feast of sorts for tonight. Seeing as it may well be the last time we are all here together, I thought it only fitting to try and enjoy each other's company." As if on cue, my stomach grumbled loudly announcing my acceptance of his offer without my consent.

Shortly after, we convened in one of the hotel's lavish dining rooms. Abe wasn't kidding when he said feast. The table was full of rich, decadent cuisines from all over the world. It was like taking a European food tour—my favorite kind. I have to admit, after everything that had happened and what we were about to face it was just what we needed.

Abe shared stories about some of his more humorous dealings throughout the years, peaking Adrian's interest the most. The conversation sparked some memories of trouble we had gotten ourselves into in the past and we all took turns sharing light-hearted anecdotes from our most brazen moments. I told the group about the time Christian set a Royal Moroi on fire in class, which spurred Eddie to tell everyone about the time I broke Dean's nose and kicked him square in the balls for grabbing my ass in the 9th grade.

"He couldn't walk straight for a week," Eddie sputtered out, tears from laughing so hard forming at the corners of his squinted eyes.

"That doesn't surprise me in the least," Abe chuckled, casting me a knowing look. "And what about you, Belikov? I'm sure someone as serious as you got into at least one shenanigan back in your adolescent days."

I half expected Dimitri to roll his eyes and brush off the serpent's comment—picturing him getting into any sort of trouble seemed to go against nature—so imagine my astonishment when he grinned and began to recount a moment from his past.

"Maybe not as much as Rose," I smiled at his playful tone, "but Ivan did have an act for dragging me into some of his more _creative_ antics." We all perked up like kids around a campfire about to hear a thrilling ghost story.

I became entranced by the way he spoke. Not because of the humorous, out of character story he was telling but because of the way his features lit up as he reminisced about his best friend. It was similar to the look he wore in that photo sitting in his bedroom back home. He was carefree and unguarded. It made me realize that although I had always seen him as someone older and wiser, he was still relatively young. Too young to have seen so much death. But I guess that was quickly becoming true for the rest of us as well. Seeing Dimitri reveal a side of him that he normally kept hidden away filled me with pure joy, and I suddenly wanted to wrap my arms around him and live in that smile.

Gusts of laughter erupted around us, bringing me out of my trance. Adrian smacked him on the back and said, "Damn, Belikov. I didn't know you had it in you. You may even rival some of my best days in Academy life."

Dimitri lifted his cup to his mouth to suppress his growing grin. "I highly doubt that Lord Ivashkov," he said into the glass.

"That's probably true," Adrian declared to the room. Then, to my surprise, he leaned closer to Dimitri and quietly said, "You know you can call me Adrian, right? That Lord and Lady bullshit is just for egotistical twats at court. Not when amongst friends."

Dimitri gave him a curious look, unsure what to make of that statement, and nodded to oblige. I gave Adrian a grateful smile when he turned to engage in the conversation again and wrapped my hand in Dimitri's as he rested them on his lap.

When it seemed the night was coming to an end, Abe stood from his chair and held a glass in the air. "A toast," he announced. "To the Princess Vasilisa Dragomir." I thought about how irked she would have been by not only the direct attention on her but the mention of her proper name as well. "A wise man once said that the true measure of a person is by the company that they keep. Although I have never met the fair lady before, I think it's safe to say she can be counted as one of the best of us. The Princess is amongst the luckiest to have earned friendship from each of you."

I looked around the table to each member of our misfit brigade as the truth of Abe's words hung in the air. I always felt like I was the lucky one to know her. Hell, I wouldn't even be alive without Lissa. But as I studied each of their faces, understanding their dedication and love for our dear friend—well, I guess Lissa was pretty lucky too.

"I wish you the best of luck tomorrow, and will be waiting on the other side to welcome you on your triumph." Abe lifted his glass and we responded in kind.

"Here, here," Eddie cheered as he and Adrian clinked glasses. Chris cast a serious look in my direction, and I was reminded of the conversation we had before leaving the Academy. He made me promise that if it came down to one of us or Lissa, I wouldn't hesitate to take her out. Now that we were so close and actually had a legitimate way to bring her back—rather than just tall tales and theories—I wasn't sure if I could do it. Granted, I had never seen Eva restore someone back to their original state, but I deduced that she wouldn't be on this suicidal mission if she couldn't actually do it. There was no gain for her to lie.

Christian's eyes flicked to our friends around us, and I could tell his thoughts were mirroring my own. But before he could say anything to me, Abe grabbed my attention. "Rose, might I have a quick word with you?"

Still lost in my own thoughts I automatically nodded my head 'yes' as the others began heading out of the room. I habitually started twirling the Nazaar around my neck as I stared off into space. I heard muffled words aimed in my direction and looked up to see Abe staring blankly at me. "What? I'm sorry, I—I was distracted," I said as I shook my head to clear it and dropped my hand from the necklace.

"That's exactly my point, Rosemarie. Your distraction could cost you your life. I know Guardian Belikov has done a great deal for you, but do you really think starting up a relationship with the man is the best thing for you right now?" His tone was unrecognizable and to be honest, extremely annoying.

"Ugh don't call me that! Only my mother does, and let me tell you—it's not when she's trying to be affectionate," I stood up from my chair so that he was no longer hovering above me. "And who says it's any of your business what relationship I'm in? Dimitri isn't distracting me. He's helping me. More than anyone ever has in my entire life, and I refuse to let some _mobster_ try and demean that."

Although my words weren't particularly harsh—well, compared to some of the other choices I considered—that last bit seemed to sting him a little more than I would have expected. His eyes flitted to the Nazaar around my throat before he let out a long sigh and deflated a little. "I'm not saying it is my business. I just want to make sure you are fully prepared and will be safe tomorrow." The obvious concern in his tone threw me for a loop. _Why did this guy give a shit what happened to me?_

"I'll be fine," I replied with inherent finality so he wouldn't mistake my words as a cover up for jittered nerves. "I'm ready to do what I have to. And I'll only be stronger with Dimitri by my side."

Abe slowly nodded, the serious look returning to his brow. "Well, then. You should probably get some rest, little girl. Big day tomorrow." And with that, he moved past me and headed out of the room, leaving me confused as all hell.

I pushed out a frustrated huff and shoved through the door to the hall. To my delight, there was another person waiting to talk to me.

"What was that about," Christian asked, as he slid himself off the nearby wall and fell in step with me.

"Nothing. Just the ravings of a crazy old man," I rolled my eyes, not wanting to get into that weird conversation that had just transpired.

Christian took the hint and didn't press me for more as we walked up the stairs. "Look, I'll make this quick. I wanted to make sure that promise you made still stands."

Apparently, my feelings from the dinner table were spot on, but I had secretly hoped they were anything but. "Chris. I—"

"No, Rose," he interrupted in a hushed tone. "Don't give me that. We both agreed that's what needed to be done. Just because Eva is here, doesn't mean you can back out now. Didn't you hear what Abe said in there?"

My thoughts from earlier somehow found a way to creep back in, and I couldn't help thinking about what I would do if I was forced to choose between this version of Lissa and Eddie, or Adrian, or Christian...or Dimitri. My silence must have come off as hesitation, so he continued.

"You yourself have seen her this way. We can't let her continue on like this. Besides, if Eva did manage to bring her back and she had hurt one of us, do you honestly think she would ever be able to forgive herself? The guilt would drive her mad!" I could tell each word out of his mouth was like a dagger into his chest. He didn't want to say these things, but he knew he had to. He knew it's what Lissa would want.

"I know Christian. You're right, I have seen her this way but I've also felt her. The _real_ her. She's in there!" I paused for a moment to look around the hall and make sure my rising whispers weren't being overheard. "Are you saying if our roles were reversed, you could do the same thing?"

He looked at me head on, as still as a statue. I waited for what seemed like forever for him to finally respond. "No. I couldn't," he finally let out. "But you are stronger than me. You're the strongest person I know. That's why it has to be you."

"Well, that hardly seems fair," I crossed my arms over my chest and stared pointedly at him.

"Life isn't fair, Hathaway. Hasn't anyone ever told you that before?" Christian moved to walk by me, but paused to put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a small, reassuring tap before he disappeared to his room.

It baffled me how just hours ago I felt completely confident in tomorrow's events, but now I felt like inch by inch someone was pulling at an imaginary thread behind me until I would completely unravel.

When I got to my room, I gripped the cold brass doorknob but paused before turning it. I tried to tell myself I wasn't this needy girl and could figure this out on my own. I could go straight in and think this through without anyone's help, just like I always had. But I realized it wasn't the fact that I needed him, it was that I wanted him. I wanted to share my concerns and listen to what he had to say in return—and somehow that meant so much more.

So I released my hold on the door and walked straight to Dimitri's room.

When I came in, I could hear the faint sounds of water dripping and could see steam rising through a beam of light under the bathroom door. As if being drawn to him I instinctively moved towards it, removing pieces of my clothing with each step. I entered the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind me and pulled open the curtain. Dimitri was facing away, his hands running through his wet hair causing water droplets to cascade down his bare back. I followed the path of one of the drips as it made its way across his tanned skin all the way to the base of his arch. My eyes moved back up as he turned around to face me.

Most guys would probably have given a saucy remark at the sight of a naked girl standing before them in the shower, but without a second glance, Dimitri could read every emotion that was storming inside me. He reached out to me and I carefully stepped in with him. A warm cloud of steam immediately surrounded me, and I reveled in his wet touch as his fingertips slowly moved up and down my arms. I could tell he wanted to ask me if I was okay, but he also knew that I wasn't. So instead, he leaned forward and brought his lips to mine.

I sank into his kiss and pulled him closer to me. His arms responded by immediately wrapping around me like a comforting cocoon and I let out a small hum against his lips. I allowed the smell of Dimitri's soap and the feel of his dripping wet skin take over my senses as I clutched his shoulders and deepened his kiss. I just wanted to forget the world, if only for this small moment. A few water drops fell from his hair down to my cheeks and I leaned my head back, the feeling of them slowly gliding across my face mirroring Dimitri's mouth on my neck.

I weaved my hands up the back of his neck and through his hair, causing a small moan to resound from Dimitri's tongue to my pulse point. I gripped a little tighter as my fingers continued to tangle in their silky hold, sending him into a frenzy.

He gripped his hands around my thighs and pulled me up against him as I simultaneously yanked his mouth back to mine. With one swift turn, my back pressed against the cool tile while the hot water gently sprayed onto my side. The mixture of sensations sent tingles across my skin, eliciting an exquisite shiver that caused Dimitri to pull away. As he looked at me I felt I could get lost in those deep brown eyes, and suddenly wanted nothing more. He pressed his forehead to mine and wrapped one of his arms around my lower back to hold me up, the other deftly finding my hand. He entwined his fingers with mine before pressing them against the wall next to my head. He looked over at our hands for a moment, admiring the shape of them woven together as the warm water bounced off of them, before turning his gaze back to me.

That look held enough love to fill the depths of the ocean, and I wondered how I had gotten so lucky as to deserve his unyielding affection. I closed my eyes and imagined myself diving into that endless sea and swimming in it forever, even if forever was just tonight.

I felt the moment our bodies no longer belonged to ourselves—but to each other. His to me and mine to him. The thrum of his heartbeat banged against mine, his pulse pumping faster and harder the more we moved together.

With each beat that unraveling thread that had threatened to undo me reeled back in and pulled me together again to the point that I felt the tightening spindle inside me was on the brink of combustion. The feeling became so intense it was impossible to muffle my cries. Dimitri's name flung from my lips like it was my ultimate salvation and echoed off the tiled walls as I slowly began to come down from my high.

\

I laid in Dimitri's bed facing him as his hand traced small circles on my bare shoulder. We still had yet to say a word to each other, both of us contented to stay in this moment for just a bit longer. But I knew once one of us broke the peaceful silence, more serious topics would need to be discussed. The thought of it caused my face to fall, and Dimitri finally caved.

"Talk to me, Roza." It was more of a request than a demand. I looked into his brown eyes and soaked up their warmth for one last lingering moment before I unleashed my burdens.

"Everything's happening tomorrow. I've waited so long to get to this point, and now that it's here, I don't know if I'm ready." He studied me, taking in my words, but waited for me to continue before speaking again. "It's all laid out, waiting for me to just jump in and take it. But if things even go the slightest bit wrong, I may be forced to make a decision that goes against everything I believe. Everything I've ever known."

"You mean, 'they come first'" he quietly asked. I nodded meekly, my old mantra echoing in the back of my mind.

"Lissa has always come first, even after she was taken. But now, after seeing her like this," I gulped down the lump forming in my throat, trying my best to keep my composure. "The other day, when I finally saw her in person it was like for a split second she was here. She looked the same, sounded the same—but what she did to Nathan," Dimitri's hand slid across the sheets and wrapped itself around mine, banishing that gruesome image and giving me the strength I needed to push forward. "She's a monster. She's not her, and I know that now. But how can I betray her when she needs me the most. Even if she ends up doing something unforgivable?"

I took in a deep breath and held it for a moment, feeling the full weight of Christian's request. "If it comes down to her or one of us, how do I know who to put first?"

"You don't have to choose Rose," his response was immediate, as if he had anticipated my thoughts before they seeped out. "You're not alone in this. We are all here to stand beside you and make sure she comes back." His words gave me the tiniest bit of relief. I needed to hear that more than I realized. However, Christian's dark conversation was still nagging deep in my gut.

"But there's always a chance that the moment will arise where it's kill or be killed. You know this just as well as I do," his expression turned somber and I knew he was trying to hide the despondence that always accompanied the memories engrained into the backs of our necks. "What if I'm not strong enough," my fears finally manifested. "What if when the time comes, I hesitate?"

It had happened once before. When Natalie, one of my oldest friends, had turned her back on life and fell into temptation's evil clutches. I had an opportunity to end her but faltered with just one glance. That hesitation nearly cost me my life. What if this time it cost someone else theirs?

"The moment is all there is," Dimitri's deep voice pulled my eyes back up to his. "When the time comes you have to believe the answer will be there. Let go of the expectations and trust your instincts." His hand moved to my arm and gave it a tight squeeze. His serious note brought me back to our days as peer and mentor and I listened intently to his advice. "Utilize your training, yes, but don't discount your gut feeling. Trust yourself in that moment to do the right thing, just as I trust you now." The grip on my arm loosened and he carefully brought his hand up to brush a piece of my damp hair behind my ear. It lingered there for a moment, twirling my loose strands around his fingers.

Hearing that he had so much trust in me filled me with a gust of confidence and pride. I didn't often doubt my skills, but I had also never imagined going up against an enemy like this. One I was adamantly trying to save, but might still be forced to kill in the end. Hearing Dimitri reaffirm that I could face my fears and come out the other side, made me truly believe that I could.

Tomorrow we would be going into battle, neither of us certain what the results would be. But tonight, it was just us, and I wanted to savor these last peaceful hours with my Russian god.

When his hand stilled in my hair, I flashed him a playful smirk and said, "You and your Zen life lessons."

He indulged in my lighter mood and let out a small sigh. "I don't know why I even bother with them since you seem completely resistant to follow," he wrapped his arms around me and pulled my body up onto his chest, causing me to giggle.

"I wouldn't be me if I did, Comrade," I chided.

He stroked my face and revealed one of his soft smiles reserved just for me. "I love you, Roza."

I basked in his words, not caring about the choices I would have to make tomorrow because without even knowing it, the choice had already been made for me. "I love you too Dimitri."

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for posting a couple days late, I got a little ahead of myself and started writing next week's chapter before this one was done—putting me behind. BUT I added something 'steamy' in there that I hadn't originally planned on to (hopefully) make up for it. There are also some hidden lyrics to one of the songs I'm really into right now. If you can point one out, then I may be inclined to send you a little somethin' somethin' from next chapter ;). Thanks for reading!


	28. Chapter 28

**Ch. 28**

 **Eva POV**

 **Songs: DNA by The Kills, Bullet with Butterfly Wings by Smashing Pumpkins, Cochise by Audioslave**

To say everyone was on edge would be a massive understatement.

An identical serious look was glued to the Dhampirs' faces as Dimitri quietly relayed the ins and outs of the plan a couple more times for good measure. Christian had been completely silent since we left the hotel. He kept shooting ambiguous looks in Rose's direction—that she was pointedly ignoring. I was worried he might have lost his ability to speak when Adrian's nervous tapping finally got to him.

"Would you cut it out already Ivashkov?!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry," Adrian pulled himself out of whatever daydream he had been having and stilled his shaking leg.

"Three minutes out," Pavel called out from the front.

I turned behind me to single out Rose. "You know what to do?"

"Now that you mention it, no Eva. No clue what to do," she stated sarcastically. "As everyone's been constantly relaying the plan for the last 24 hours I've actually been thinking about more pressing items, like the ever delicious kung pow chicken and the conundrum with Great White Sharks."

"What conundrum," Christian asked.

"You know, whether you can't tell if you love them or hate them. Because on one side they are so majestic, but they're also so ferocious," Rose stated matter-of-factly.

"Kind of like me," Eddie said as he raised his flexed bicep in the air.

"Hey! Don't steal my jokes, Castile!"

"Anyways," I attempted to reel them back in, "I'm talking about the bond," I rolled my eyes at her and proceeded to repeat the same thing I had told her half a dozen times as the car slowed to a stop. "The ring is probably already losing some of its power from the constant use over the past couple of weeks so if you slip it off slightly, you should be able to let your emotions seep through the bond without fully exposing yourself."

"Got it," she replied as we made our way out of the over-cramped SUV. "Remove the magical ring just enough to make my evil-vampiric best friend see the, metaphorical, light of day before she kills us all or turns me into her undead right-hand woman. How hard can it be?"

Once we were all out I reached for the car door behind her and slammed it shut. "You know, if you weren't so deranged you might be kind of cool to hang out with." Rose attempted to raise one of her eyebrows at my comment and cast me a sidelong glance. "Might," I emphasized for good measure.

"Aw, don't go all soft on me now, Red."

"You're insufferable."

"Not that this isn't a touching moment," Adrian chimed in. "But we are about to do the craziest thing I have ever dreamed of in my life, and let me tell you I've had some pretty remarkable dreams. So I'd appreciate it if you kept the coy banter to a minimum and focus." His nerves were starting to get to him a little, but he was right. It was time to put on our game faces and get shit done.

This would be the first time I was going on a restoration mission without any of the Salvatori or Josette. I desperately missed her and could quickly feel my nerves starting to rise too. I couldn't let the others sense that I was anything but confident though, and used the image of Elara's disappointed, scolding face to snap me back and reel in the rising butterflies. My mother was caring and loving and had protected us in every way possible. But that look was the surest way to make me want to hit something, and that fuel was exactly what I needed right now.

"Everything alright," a thick Russian accent snapped my attention up. Dimitri was standing in front of me with that same unreadable look he coveted. Rose had taken Adrian off to the side and was engaged in a hushed conversation, no doubt as a last opportunity for a pep talk.

I nodded and turned slightly away from him, moving my gaze up to the diamond-speckled sky. It was a clear night and all the stars were out to witness what would lie ahead in The Ivy. As always, my vision pulled to the moon. I'd always preferred it over the sun. Other than the discomfort that the sun brought, there was just something about the moon that drew me to it. It's ominous, yet revealing. The moon sheds light on things creeping in dark corners but allows you to remain hidden all the same. From all the places I moved around to and from, the moon was my one constant. It was a bearing that I came to rely on as a child, and I couldn't help but feel uneasy on nights it wasn't visible.

"Beautiful night. Ironic isn't it," I voiced to Dimitri. I couldn't help but think how a blood moon would have been much more fitting. He hummed in agreeance and briefly looked across the star-laden sky.

"Before we go in there, I wanted to tell you thank you," his focus moved back down to me as he spoke. "It's obvious you aren't exactly here by choice, but it still means a lot that you are willing to go through with this. You are truly doing us a great service Eva."

That was the last thing I expected to come out of Dimitri Belikov. We hadn't really spoken since that night in the library and I was sure that he would be extremely angry with me after that, not to mention the events that followed. I took a small gulp, swallowing my pride with it, and did the one thing I loathed the most. Apologized.

"I'm sorry for what I said to Rose," I told him. "It wasn't my place to do so and—" Dimitri held up his hand, halting my words.

"Don't be. You had every right to be concerned. Trust is not given, it's earned," that line sounded like something he read off a fortune cookie and I had half a mind to tease him about it, but his next words left me speechless. "Hopefully after tonight, I will be able to earn yours."

He was an established Guardian. From what Eddie and Christian had told me, one of the best. People, important people, respected him and trusted him with their lives. I was nobody—less than nobody. Yet, here he was hoping to earn _my_ trust. I nodded again, unable to think of anything to say to that, and for a split second I could've sworn I saw him smile.

Before I could decide if it was a figment of my imagination or not, Rose called us to attention. Midnight was quickly approaching and it was time for us to take position. After a couple words of encouragement and pats on the backs, Adrian and Christian made their way towards the front of the B&B.

It was a small yellow building with a bright green door that made it seem homey and inviting. There were vines weaving in and out of the closed shutters, which I guess is where it got its name, and a beautiful garden positioned to the left. It was strange to think that somewhere below the serene building were several evil creatures lurking. Rose's phone lit up and she quickly read the intel from Christian on the best route to the meeting room. We knew once they were inside we wouldn't receive any other form of communication, so she tucked her phone away and crouched down behind some nearby bushes to get a closer view. She pointed to the backend of the B&B and whispered something to Dimitri; most likely how we were going to get into the place, but the small change in his expression told me it might have been something else.

She turned back to us and nodded her head towards the building, "Come on. Let's go." Dimitri and Rose led the way with Eddie and me in tow. The plan was for them to go in first and quietly take out any of Vasilisa's followers on lookout while Eddie and I watched out for anyone coming in behind them. I knew what they were doing. They weren't fooling me. They were making sure I was kept out of any encounters with the Strigoi and Eddie would be there to "protect" me if we did. I could handle myself in a fight, I had been adamant about it before, but they were insistent on me saving all of my strength for the restoration. And after seeing Vasilisa's powers in play, I guess I had to agree.

After about a minute, Eddie and I crept down the passageway they had disappeared through. There was a tight staircase that could be trouble if we needed a quick getaway—especially if there were assailants waiting up top for us. We stepped over a couple of bodies and I wondered how they had disposed of them so quietly. The plan seemed to be working out well so far, and if we kept it up we would be able to maintain our surprise factor.

When we reached the end of the hall, Dimitri and Rose were standing over one last body. A piece of her hair had fallen into her face, the only indicator that they had been in a skirmish. She nodded to us again, and silently we took our positions. Eddie moved up beside Rose to help her bust through the door and Dimitri maneuvered himself in front of me. We simultaneously took in one last breath, as if even the air in there would be tainted, and readied ourselves for what waited on the other side of that door.

With one, quick heave Eddie and Rose burst through the door and into the florescent lit conference room. It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the drastic change in light and as they did I could make out rows of foldout chairs along the edges of the tiled, windowless room.

I quickly scanned the scene spotting Adrian and Chris in the corner—relief and fear simultaneously flooding their faces—with, to our dismay, more Strigoi than we had accounted for. I wasn't sure how many there were, because in the middle of counting them, my eyes were pulled to a huge, towering form to Vasilisa's right. He was half-hidden in the shadows, his face and torso covered in the night's dark cloak, but there was no mistaking this was the Strigoi that Rose had mentioned. Nikolai.

He was the biggest Strigoi I had ever seen, and even though I couldn't see his eyes, I felt like those red-ringed beads were piercing right through me. Rose's muffled voice pulled my mind back to the present of the room, but my eyes were glued to that giant at the Princess' side.

"Did you think I would be foolish enough to show up alone after the little stunt you pulled the other day," Vasilisa replied to whatever Rose had said. "Besides, after seeing what I did to that shriveling excuse for Strigoi, my associates were more than willing to jump at the chance to escort me."

"Associates? That's what you're calling them," Rose goaded. "I'd say the evil, undead rat-pack is more like it. I mean look at that one," she pointed with her stake, "he's even got a stupid hat on."

My eyes flicked to the Strigoi on the left wearing a trilby. His glistening teeth revealed that her comments were anything but amusing to him.

"Oh, Rose," the Princess smiled wickedly. "I do hope your sense of humor carries over in your awakening. It was always one of the most enjoyable things about you." Her cold face was a complete contrast to her twisted sentimentality.

Two Strigoi on the ends started to creep away from her and towards the outer perimeter of the room. Another two followed as Dimitri positioned himself in front of me.

"Lissa don't do this," Christian's hushed voice carried as the snarling monsters began to encircle us. "Rose is your best friend. We can help you."

The room went completely still. Vasilisa's stare remained fixed on Rose as every sound left the shallow walls. The tension and anticipation had me completely on edge and all I could do was stand motionless behind the Russian barrier. The steady heaving of the Dhampirs' chests were the only indicators that time hadn't completely stopped. My heart was pounding so hard against my chest, I thought it might break through. It was to the point the anxiety was almost unbearable when finally, Vasilisa said, "You did help me."

And then the room went into complete, and utter chaos.

Rose and Eddie raced over to Christian and Adrian, causing the majority of the Strigoi to follow. Two wildly flung themselves at Dimitri and he shoved me back behind him while simultaneously grabbing a chair and throwing it at one of his attackers. The force of his push almost sent me to the ground, but I righted myself in time to witness the astonishing events around us unfold.

Flashes of silver and red surrounded the room as the Dhampirs reigned their assault. I could see Rose and Eddie nudge the Moroi to safety as they began facing their opponents. On our side of the room, Dimitri was unlike anything I had ever seen. I became completely captivated as I watched him move with remarkable, deadly grace. Each movement fulfilled its purpose without fail and he took out his two opponents without even breaking a sweat. I stood there wide-eyed as their pale bodies fell to the floor, and was so distracted I nearly didn't see what was coming.

Nikolai.

With a flick of Vasilisa's wrist, he charged across the room sending rumbles through the ground. I turned to Dimitri who was still pulling his stake from one of the Strigoi's backs and shouted, "Look out!"

Dimitri turned just in time for Nikolai to barrel straight into his chest. Dimitri flew back and tumbled to the ground. I moved off to the side so Nikolai's back was to me and pulled out my stake as Dimitri quickly rolled himself up. As if he was made of air, Nikolai's movements were almost impossible to see. He reached out to Dimitri and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, gripping a fistful of fabric and pulling him closer. With Dimitri in his clutches, I inched as close as I dared to the giant beast. I lifted my arm into the air causing the light to briefly catch my stake, pulling Dimitri's attention towards me.

His eyes went wide with alarm. He looked back to Nikolai and used his bodyweight to swing them both around before freeing himself from the hold and sending Nikolai soaring into a pile of folded chairs. The maneuver put himself between me and the Strigoi again and he shoved me away with even more force. "Stay back! Stop trying to fight!"

When he turned back around, Nikolai's fist slammed into Dimitri's face with a resounding bang. A gash immediately formed above Dimitri's eye and he shook his head to keep the blood from dripping into his vision. He leaped up and engaged in combat again, the two contrasting gods clashing blow for blow in what seemed like the battle of the century. Good vs. Evil. Dark vs. Light. Life vs. Death.

I kept my eyes on Dimitri's moves, following his calculated steps and praying that he would hit a vulnerable spot soon. I knew not even he could keep this up forever and eventually he would tire out. Just as I thought he was weakening though, he shot his fist into Nikolai's ribs and slashed his leg across the Strigoi's tibia with a thunderous strike. I was amazed that the after-shock from his blow didn't split the earth in two.

Nikolai's leg was no doubt broken as he folded over towards it, which gave Dimitri the opportunity to finish him off. He slammed his knee into his ribs again, shattering them to pieces, and lifted his elbows before coming down full-force onto his shoulder to severely dislocate it. I could see Nikolai's ragged breathing reverberating off his back as Dimitri moved towards him, and I knew he was done. The Russian Guardian spun around the demon's back and pulled him into a chokehold on his knees. The Strigoi thrashed against him, but he had no leverage off the ground and his left arm was hanging down along with his limp shoulder. Dimitri yanked against him, pulling Nikolai's knees higher off the floor as he reached for his stake. The maneuver caused them to turn slightly towards me, and I felt an unnatural thrill that I would be able to look him in the eyes as Dimitri plunged his stake directly into the monster's cold, dead heart. But as his face turned towards me, paralyzing shock shot through my veins stunning me still.

That face.

I had seen that face. I knew it almost as well as my own. It was the same face that was etched into my memory from the only photo I cherished. The only memory that Josette had kept from the life we could have had. His features were mauled by anger, pain, and villainy, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was him. Kristof. My mother's Guardian. Our savior. Our real father that only Josette had ever truly known.

Dimitri's arm moved up to strike, and as it came down I screamed, "WAIT! DIMITRI DON'T!"

Their eyes both shot up to me, a pair of dark brown and another set of ruby red. I spent years trying to prepare myself for this moment. We knew once we saw him, we had to be prepared so Josette and I would spend stormy nights picturing the man in that photo as a blood-sucking beast. Giving his warm, loving smile sharp fangs, his tan skin a pale glow, and his relaxed jaw a menacing curve. But I could never permit myself to ruin the vision of those eyes. Those soft, caring eyes that looked lovingly at my family before they were ripped apart. Now that those crimson eyes were staring directly at me, I was completely caught off guard and all sense of logic went straight out the door.

I guess there's not much that can prepare you for seeing the man your family claimed as your father for the first time as a terrifying, snarling beast. _I wish Josette was here. She would know what to do._

With a crack, he sat up a little straighter and I knew his ribs were starting to heal. So did Dimitri apparently, because he moved to strike again. "Dimitri, please no!"

I rushed forward but jolted to a stop before I got too close. "What are you doing? I have to finish this," Dimitri gritted through his teeth as his grip around the Strigoi's neck tightened. I looked up to him for a second, pleading with my eyes before moving my gaze back down to his prisoner.

"Kri—Kristof? Is that you," my voice was shaky at best. I could feel my whole body trembling from head to toe as I waited for him to answer. A confused look slowly spread across his threatening brow.

"How do you know that name?"

I inhaled a short breath, unable to fully let air in or out of my lungs. His abominable eyes raked over my face for what seemed like forever until a sly, fanged smile crept up the corner of his mouth.

"Elara," he hissed in recognition. My eyes widened to my forehead and my hand tightened around my stake at the look he revealed. It was apparent in that moment that he not only remembered her, but was still looking for her as well. With another sickening snap his shoulder straightened out and he moved his hand to grip Dimitri's arm around his neck. He looked at me with paralyzing hunger and my stake dropped to my side. I took a step back, fear completely taking over my body as he struggled to get out of Dimitri's hold.

Every part of my being was telling me to turn around and run. Run as fast and as far as I could go. But before my feet could catch up to my brain, Dimitri gripped the side of Kristof's head with his free hand and yanked it as hard as he could. I thought he might have completely ripped it off, but when the limp body clambered to the floor, to my surprise his head didn't roll away.

"That should take some time to heal. Now, do you want to tell me what is going on," Dimitri asked.

I raised my nervous gaze from the floor to meet Dimitri's and frantically shook my head in response. Dimitri opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could our focus was pulled to a horrifying, gurgling scream on the other side of the room.

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Don't Stop Me Now by Queen, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This by Emily Browning, Roost by Big Black Delta, St. Jude by Florence And The Machine**

I could hear Eva scream something at Dimitri, but I couldn't look now. I had my own demons to deal with. Four Strigoi moved to Eddie and me. The cocky smirks on their faces suggested that they had no idea what they were dealing with. The shocked screech from the one on the end as his legs lit up in flames proved that they didn't.

We had warned Christian to save his strength for subduing Lissa, but this small display granted us the brief element of surprise that we needed.

Eddie launched himself at the burning beast and another followed behind him. The other two made a move towards me and I responded in kind. They were stronger than I had anticipated but unfortunately for them, so was I. I kicked my heel right into the taller one's kneecap, shattering it under his pale skin and sending him straight to the floor. I turned my focus to the other just in time to dodge an incapacitating blow. I ducked under his arm and threw my elbow into his back. He stumbled forward a little but righted his footing just as my stake sliced across his chest instead of impaling it.

The gash oozed and bubbled, his pale skin burning from the encrypted magic in my stake. His hands ghosted over the wound, hesitating to touch the raw surface. The Strigoi's furious eyes darted up to me and he ascended upon me once again. However, his anger made his movements wild and sloppy, giving me the opening I needed to finish the job. I rammed my stake into the already open wound, my knuckles sinking into the sticky, wet flesh as my stake pierced its target. The Strigoi let out a choked breath and crumbled beneath my hold. I pressed my foot into his stomach and shoved him off my weapon, a slimy web clinging to my fist and stake as I sent him sprawled out to the floor.

Before I could calculate my next move, something grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed my face into the nearby wall. I reached my free hand behind me to grip the cold flesh tangled in my hair, and when I made contact I twisted furiously until I heard a crack. With a yelp the hold on my head released and I whipped around to face my attacker, the maneuver causing my head to spin and my balance to sway. The other Strigoi's knee had healed and he was grinning at my teetering state. He flew at me with incredible speed and I tried to shuffle out of the way, but I was currently seeing two of him and was caught in his grasp once again. He shoved me back into the wall causing spots to surround my blurring vision and my stake to clamber across the floor.

A curt laugh seeped out of him and his open-mouthed grin revealed sharp teeth dripping with saliva like a rabid animal. I had seen that ravenous look before. I knew what he was about to do, and I was powerless to stop him.

"Rose!" I heard Adrian yell from the other side of the room, but the pressure on my throat from the Strigoi's forearm was preventing me from turning my head to see if he was alright. Then I realized he wasn't yelling for my help, I was the one that needed help. The Strigoi's menacing face inched towards me and I stiffened, anticipating the shooting pain that was about to leach into my neck.

But instead of the expected sting, a weight was lifted from me and I slumped back against the wall with my hands barely holding me up. After a couple breaths I looked up expecting to see that Eddie had come to the rescue, but the Strigoi was standing in front of me perfectly still with a terrified look on his face. I glanced over to my left to see Eddie still grappling with the other Strigoi, blocking Christian and Adrian behind him. I pushed myself off the wall and reached down to grab my stake from the ground. The Strigoi was no longer still and was visibly trembling with fear.

"I told you she was mine," her sinister voice slithered from across the room. My focus shot to Lissa and I could see her gaze pointed directly at the Strigoi who had just had me pinned. My eyes alternated between the two of them trying to decipher what was happening. The Strigoi started to scream, pulling Eddie and the other monster's focus to our direction.

He started hysterically clawing at his arms, leaving thin lacerations of ripped skin and blood behind as his horrified stare darted to each shallow wound. His screams escalated and his hands savagely raked down his face, pulling chunks of skin with them as if removing it was the only way to stop the imaginary pain from taking over.

"Make it stop! Make it stop," he gurgled, the blood from his face and arms dripping into his mouth as his fingers sunk into the open wounds.

"As you wish," I brazenly replied and shoved my stake deep into his chest. "Yuck." I wiped my hands and stake along the side of my pants and looked back up to Eddie. The Strigoi he had been fighting was frozen in place looking down at the mess of blood and gore before me. Realizing he was now outnumbered, he turned to run away but before he could take another step, Eddie grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him into his stake from behind. He twisted it up a little to make sure he was right on target, then pushed the limp body face first to the floor.

My eyes flicked behind Lissa to see Dimitri standing over Nikolai's huge form and a pang of relief shot through me. He looked a little battered, it had obviously been a brutal fight, but overall he was okay. Lissa's sights were still on Eddie and me as Dimitri stealthily took position behind her.

"It's over now Liss," I relayed, trying to keep her focus on me and away from Dimitri. I knew she didn't have any training in combat so if we could just catch her off guard, Eva could make her move.

"I don't think so, Rose." She tilted her chin down and stared at me through her long lashes.

"Please Lissa. Just come with us, no one else has to get hurt. We can help you," I pleaded, trying to make that part of her I knew was still alive see reason.

She straightened up a little and relaxed her shoulders. Her face molded into a look that seemed almost pitying. "Is that begging I sense," she asked as her malicious smile returned. "You can do better than that. Let's see, shall we?"

A ring of fire formed around her signaling my cue. I slipped the ring partially off my finger, trying my best to keep her emotions out while still letting mine in. I could feel her panic rising in the bottom of my gut and tried to focus on the source of those feelings. Lissa nervously looked around before I felt her reach inside her and harness her magic.

"Christian," her voice was soft and sweet with a pleading note as it sang out of her mouth. Christian's eyes locked with hers and his body stilled. Terrified that she might be about to send him into a deranged, suicidal state like she had with the last Strigoi I opened up to the bond and slipped inside her head.

She was sending a vision into his mind, but it wasn't one of horror; it was something immensely more deadly. "Don't let them hurt me," she softly cried. Instead of evil, crimson eyes he was seeing those endless jade green jewels from her former life. Her skin was milky white instead of iridescent and her stringy hair flowed behind her in silk waves.

"Lissa," Christian whispered as he took a step towards the angelic vision.

"Chris, don't! It's not real," I shouted at him, trying to snap him out of it. The circle of fire diminished and Christian took another step towards her. "Eddie, stop him!" Without a second thought, Eddie followed my command and wrapped his arms around Christian, pulling him back to safety.

"Don't touch her! Don't hurt her," Christian shouted as he fought against Eddie. He pushed off the floor with his legs and desperately tried to get back to Lissa. When he realized he was no match for Eddie's strength, two small balls of flames manifested in his hands, sending a rush of panic into my bones.

Sensing an opportunity with Lissa distracted, Dimitri leaped forward and made his way to the center of the room. He was inches away from her, and Christian's flames were growing larger by the second but before Dimitri managed to take her down, Lissa's hand shot up behind her, stopping my Russian god in his tracks. As soon as she turned her focus away from Christian, his flames died and he stopped fighting against Eddie, but I could feel her magic pouring out into a new host.

Dimitri.

"Hussshhh," she subdued him. His pupils were blown, the familiar brown completely covered by black. We all stood frozen in place, terrified of what she planned to do to him. She reached her hand slightly towards him then lowered it, signaling for him to bend. Dimitri's body instinctively followed her movements and he slowly knelt down to the ground, keeping his gaze fixed on her face. I had seen that look take over his features before. It wasn't fear or anger or any of the other emotions I would have expected from him at that moment. It was awe and adoration. "Princess," he cooed.

"Yes, my pet. That's much better." Lissa kept her focus on Dimitri but began to speak to me. "I know what you want. I can sense it in you, Rose. I know what he means to you. Join me now. It's what he wants. Isn't it my pet?"

"Yes," he breathed out. "Anything for you."

"Lissa stop this. Please, this isn't you. Don't hurt him," I gulped. A small smile crept up the corner of her mouth at my pleading words. She had me and she knew it. I tried to make her feel my emotions, hoping my worry and love would help the real her see the light, but it only appeared to amuse her more.

She gracefully reached her hand out towards his face and stroked his cheek with the back of her cold fingers. His breath hitched at her touch. "Anything for me, Dimitri?"

He nodded dotingly, his features emanating devotion for the hypnotizing creature in front of him. "But what about your Rozzza," Lissa hissed. Hearing his name for me come out of her lips instantly tainted it and I tasted bile rising in my throat.

"There is only you," he replied, enraptured by her voice. His words caused me to falter. I knew he was caught up in her spell, but seeing him this way, looking at her like that was causing an earthquake inside me, cracks shooting across my heart inch by inch.

"Stop! Leave him alone!" It was impossible to hide the anguish in my voice now and I could feel my hands shaking at my sides. Lissa leaned her face closer to his and whispered, "Do you want me to taste your blood?"

"Yes," he muttered back, desperation coating his thick accent. She was so close now, I knew if any of us made a move it would take her less than a second to snap his neck. Lissa dropped her chin down and placed a small kiss on his neck, eliciting a deep moan from Dimitri. I could feel Adrian and Eddie's panicked stares shooting between me and Lissa, but my focus was fixed on Dimitri. I couldn't think. I couldn't move. I may as well have been just as hypnotized as he was.

Lissa parted her lips and looked around his throat at me. "Don't you want to know what his blood tastes like," she asked, staring deep into my eyes.

"No, please." My voice was so small and despairing I wasn't even sure if she heard me.

Her eyes widened with triumph and hunger, her mouth opening for the kill. "Let me show you."

Visions of the human she had drained while making me watch and Arthur's terrified stare in his last moments rushed to the forefront of my mind causing my panic to completely take over. She was going to kill Dimitri. She was going to take the last bit of this world that I held dear and bleed it dry. I heard a small laugh escape her throat as she inched closer, and I lost all self-control.

I pulled the charmed ring completely from my finger and let down every wall that I had ever built up. All the barriers that were used to hold the dark creatures inside me at bay exploded into the room as I screamed out in agony, anger, and fear.

Black spirits flooded the room in a ghoulish storm. Eddie, Christian, and Adrian's backs pressed into the wall behind them and by the startled looks on their faces, I could tell they were seeing the same as Lissa and me. "What are you doing," Lissa screeched. My screams continued loud enough to wake the hounds of hell as the gust of ghosts poured out of me and surrounded her.

"Stop it, Rose," Lissa shouted as she swatted at the whirling figures around her. I could feel her anxiety shift to annoyance. My skull felt like it was about to split from the pain, but I refused to back down. Sensing my resilience, Lissa did the only thing she could to make me stop.

Her arm heaved to a still kneeling Dimitri, pounding directly into his chest. She flung his body across the room as if he weighed nothing and above all the chaos surrounding us I could still hear the bone cracking sound as he made contact with the wall. My heart shattered as his limp form fell to the ground.

My knees crashed into the floor and suddenly my ribs felt too tight against my lungs. I wanted to cry out to him, but it was if there was a knife stuck in my windpipe. My ragged breaths and trembling limbs prevented me from moving even an inch towards him. All I could do was stare at his motionless form, as my entire world collapsed around me. The room went quiet as the ghosts fled. I didn't even know if he was alive or dead, but not even the dreaded spirits wanted to inhabit this world where Dimitri Belikov was no longer by my side. Yeva's words played on repeat through my ears over and over like a sick, twisted melody: _Stop letting your guilt rule your decisions before it's too late._

Lissa, my best friend, the person I had sworn to protect, a girl I would lay my life down for at a moment's notice had silenced the last bit of happiness I clung to in this miserable life, and for the first time I no longer had a fight left in me. I was completely broken. I felt like I was drowning under the weight of it all. Wave after wave crashed into me as my mind tried to reach the surface and grasp for a way out of this.

Suddenly, a pained wail filled the room. The cry was loud enough to shatter glass. But it didn't come from me.

I tore my gaze away from Dimitri to see Lissa in the middle of the room gripping her chest. She cried out again in agony and crouched down. "What are you doing to me? What have you done," she stuttered. I realized with all my barriers down my emotions were completely taking over her. Her breathing was erratic and her hands were shaking furiously.

She looked up at me and I could see my overbearing pain reflected in her wet, red eyes. Confused and terrified by what she was feeling, Lissa straightened up, wavering a few times as she turned to run. With all the disarray in the room, she had been too distracted to notice a small form creep up behind her.

As soon as she turned around Eva's stake collided with Lissa's chest. Upon seeing a sharp object shoot into my best friend, my instinctual reaction was panic. I could feel the sharp pain deep within me and looked down to my chest expecting to see a silver rod pressed into it. But as Eva drove it deeper into Lissa's heart, the pain vanished and I suddenly felt a swarm of warmth surround us.

I was pulled into Lissa completely, our bodies joining again as one. Light and magic surrounded us and threatened to send us soaring to the ground. But something held on. Something kept pulling us in. No not something. Someone.

Eva.

Her teeth were gritted and her hair flew back wildly, the mix of red and blue streaks mirroring flames that threatened to consume us. She was fierce. She was beautiful. She was _life_.

The light her magic brought poured into us and banished away all the darkness that desperately clung to our insides. I could feel it gripping and tearing, threatening to claw us from the inside out. But with each rip, came a repair. With each scald came a soothing balm. Until eventually there was only light left. The darkness was completely gone and the all-consuming magic slowly faded to a flitting tingle.

Then nothing.

I was pulled back into my own body as Eva jerked away, the charmed stake rolling out of her hand. Christian ran up behind Lissa and wrapped his arms around her as she fell back towards the floor. Eva slumped to the ground, too exhausted to stand and Eddie crouched down beside her.

With her back to me, I could see Lissa's shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Her hand meekly reached out towards Eva. I expected Eddie to pull her away, but his astonished look told me that something must have changed. I could hear her soft crying now and felt the urge to immediately run over to her and pull her into my arms. But one glance over to my right stopped me in my tracks.

Adrian was kneeling near Dimitri's still body, his hands hovering over his back in hesitation to touch him. I'm not sure what prompted me to do it. Lissa needed me. She needed me now, almost more than ever. I should have gone to her and made sure she was alright. _Lissa comes first._

But I made my choice and darted to Dimitri's side instead. I carefully rolled him onto his back and placed his head in my lap. "Dimitri. Dimitri, can you hear me?" My voice was hoarse and my throat was raw. I could see his eyes moving under his eyelids and I brushed my hand across his forehead.

His eyes fluttered open and looked up to my face. The tightness in my chest loosened just a little at the sight of those molten orbs. He brought his hand to my cheek and twirled a loose piece of my hair between his fingers. "Roza. My Roza," his voice was still slightly dazed, but I felt a pang of relief that he wasn't completely entranced by her spell anymore. He blinked a few times to sober himself up but was still in and out of it. "Are you safe?"

"Yes," I breathed out. Here he was laying on the ground half dead and he was still worried about me. "Everything's going to be alright," I soothed.

"And the Princess," his tone was no longer possessed by that languishing note when he mentioned her and I could tell he was back to himself. I turned around to see Lissa kneeling on the ground and gripping her ears with a shell-shocked look on her face. Christian was hovering near her and when her eyes darted from the floor I braced myself to see those tainted crimson spheres but was enthralled when I could clearly see they were as green as the ocean on a warm summer's day.

It worked. It really worked.

She quickly looked away from me and pressed her back closer to Christian as she gazed longingly over to a still exhausted Eva. I turned back to Dimitri with tears coating my eyes and said, "She'll be fine. Don't worry."

With that, he smiled at me. His genuine, unguarded smile that he only reserved for me. We had done it. We had brought her back. The floodgates inside me opened wide and overwhelming relief rushed through me. I could sense a similar feeling in Dimitri that the worst was finally over.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could his face contorted and a painful cough erupted. The sound was thick and wet, leaving his lips and teeth stained with blood.

My face shot up to Adrian, demanding his attention. "Adrian, you have to heal him."

"I—I don't know if I can," he replied nervously, shaking his head. Another wave of sloshing coughs pulled our focus back down to Dimitri. He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes rolling erratically. "Roza, I can't feel my legs."

I was on the verge of hysteria and gripped Adrian's shirt as I frantically yelled at him. "Do it now!"

Dimitri's breathing was becoming rapid and shallow. I tried to soothe him and keep his panic at bay. "Shhh, it's alright. Everything's going to be alright." I pushed his hair back with my trembling hand and tried to hide the shakiness in my voice. Tears spilled from my eyes and onto his cheek. I brushed them away and placed my hand over his that was still resting on my neck, holding his warm, calloused skin against mine.

His glossy brown eyes finally focused and met mine again, gazing at me with that adoration I had seen in his bedroom under the early morning sun. A small drop of blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth when he smiled at me. "I love you, Roza." With those last words, his voice simmered to nothing and his eyes closed.

His hand went limp against my collar and slid out of mine, falling heavily into my lap. "No, no, no Dimitri. You can't leave me." I gripped his shoulders and started to shake him. "You said you'd always be there for me, remember? I can't lose you. I can't. Please!"

I heard a small noise from Adrian and looked over to him through the waves of tears in my eyes. His hands were gripping his knees and I latched on to them. "Please, Adrian! Don't let him die," I desperately pleaded as I pulled his hands to Dimitri's chest. He nodded, trying to melt away some of the trepidation from his face. His shaky hand pressed into Dimitri's chest and his brow furrowed in concentration. After a couple moments, he let out an exasperated breath. "It's not working. I—I don't know what to do."

"Try harder," my voice cracked as I tried to scream at him. He looked at me solemnly and started to say the one thing I refused to hear. I knew as soon as he said those tragic words, they would be my ultimate undoing. I could feel the darkness starting to creep in and decided that if Dimitri was gone, this time I would let it take me. I would give in to the suffocating spirits and let them pull me in. Maybe _he_ would be on the other side waiting.

But before that earth-shattering sentence escaped him, Adrian's face shot down to Dimitri's chest again. "Wait. I feel something. Something's happening."

I suddenly felt that warm tingle of magic prick the tops of my arms and the back of my neck. The rise and fall of Dimitri's chest slowly started to even out and the healing magic increased around us. Adrian looked at me confused and I slowly turned my gaze to the left. There was a small, dainty hand wrapped around Dimitri's ankle. I followed my gaze past the perfectly manicured nails, up her arm and to her tear and blood-streaked face.

Lissa.

She was crouched down on the floor, sending currents of magic into Dimitri. I could feel it leaching from her into him, repairing the damage she had done. The magic began to weaken her and when she was almost spent, she released her grasp. Lissa's eyes met mine for an instant, then she recoiled away from us and tucked her knees into herself, rocking back and forth. I stared at her in amazement, too shocked to say anything.

"He's still not waking up," Adrian proclaimed. My eyes were locked on Lissa as Christian wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him. "Rose, do you hear me? We have to get him to a hospital. Now!" Adrian's stern voice pulled me out of my trance and I quickly moved to help him and Eddie get Dimitri up.

* * *

 **A/N** : I have to say without a doubt this has been my favorite chapter to create. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it—and creating playlists for it ;). I heard Roost by Big Black Delta months ago and knew I had to use it for the restoration scene. SO EPIC!

FYI: I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is I will be traveling out of the country the next two weeks so depending on the wifi situation, there probably won't be a chapter for a hot minute. Good news is the flights are super long so I should have plenty of time to get some chapters ready to post as soon as I get back. Sorry, I know this is one hell of a cliffhanger to leave you on but I had to get this chapter out before I left. As always, thanks for reading!


	29. Chapter 29

**Ch. 29  
**

 **CPOV**

 **Song: What If This Is All The Love You Ever Get? by Snow Patrol**

We had done it. We had actually pulled it off. She was alive. And she was here. Well...mostly.

I don't know what I had expected exactly. It's not like things would go back to normal just like that. I knew she would feel immense guilt for the sins she committed in her time as Strigoi, but I only had the surface knowledge of some of the things she had done. After seeing her use her magic against one of her accomplices at The Ivy, who knows what she did to others who she didn't consider allies. Or others who were innocent.

Lissa wasn't that same monster we went up against in that room—that I was sure of. But she also wasn't the Lissa I knew before all this chaos wrecked our lives. It was like not all of her had come back to me yet.

She hadn't spoken since we brought her back. The only two people she would even let near her were me and Eva. If Rose so much as looked her way, Lissa would cower and hide her face in my chest. I was more than happy to comfort her—holding her in my arms again was something I thought I would only be able to do in my dreams—but I was starting to get the feeling she was doing it out of necessity rather than want.

But the way she looked at Eva. It was as if she was entranced by her. She hadn't yet looked me in the eye.

The two of them seemed to be harboring some sort of secret between one another. I could tell Eva desperately wanted to get a moment alone with her, but I wasn't sure if it was the best idea right now.

Then there was the other issue. Dimitri. He hadn't woken up after Lissa used her Spirit magic on him and we had to haul ass to a hospital nearby. Luckily, Abe was able to quickly find us one that treated Dhampirs and Moroi so we were able to avoid any speculative questioning. We checked Dimitri and Lissa in under fake names, hoping that would be enough to keep us under the radar for now.

Rose only left Dimitri's side long enough to seek me out and quickly ask if there had been any changes with Lissa. I wasn't sure how she was still holding it together, but damn that girl was strong.

A nurse came by to check on Lissa for any injuries and she silently obliged, but when they offered her blood she refused. She seemed almost scared and repulsed by it. Eva, however, indulged and seemed much better after feeding. Watching her drink from the other room only increased my thirst. I had used a good amount of magic and hadn't fed for a while now, leaving me feeling completely drained. I wanted to stay by Lissa's side, but after seeing her reaction to blood earlier, I decided to go into the next room.

"I'll just be next door, okay," her gaze glued to the floor as I spoke. "I won't be long." I looked at her for a moment longer, hoping for some sort of reaction. When she didn't give me one, I'll admit it hurt, but I turned to Eva and asked, "Stay with her till I get back?"

Eva's eyes shot from Lissa over to me and she nodded enthusiastically. I wasn't sure if it was the best idea, but my options were limited and I had to keep my strength up if I was going to look out for her the next couple of days. I stood up from my seat and headed over to the door. I spared one last glance at Lissa, hoping she would finally meet my gaze. When she didn't, I let out a sigh and moved through the door, immediately regretting my decision as it shut behind me.

 **Eva POV**

 **Song: Heaven Sent by Mr. Little Jeans**

I don't know what it was about her, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. I had restored Strigoi in the past, but somehow it was different this time. Now that she wasn't tainted by those horrifying features that distinguished them from us, she was beautiful. Almost...angelic.

Her blonde hair fell down her back like waves of wheat and I felt the urge to reach out and stroke it. Her eyes were like the ocean, no longer marred by that devious red. They were unlike any color I had ever seen. I stared at them, wondering if there were others like hers or if she was the only one of her kind. When she eventually looked up at me I quickly averted my gaze to avoid frightening her.

She had been avoiding looking at Christian and I didn't want her to freak out on me because I got caught staring at her. I nervously tugged at my unruly hair and tried to think about anything other than her hair, her eyes, her face. Then she showed me another beautiful feature of hers that entranced me above all else. Her voice.

"Eva?" The sound pulled my eyes back to hers and I tried to think of a way to get her to use it again. I came up short on words and just nodded instead, entranced by that sweet, melodious tune. "How—" her brow scrunched as she struggled to find the right words. "What did you do? How am I here? Like this." She looked at her palms, inspecting the color that had been brought back to them.

"With Spirit," I replied. Her eyes went wide and shot to mine again.

"Spirit," she whispered, her hands dropping slowly to her lap.

"Yes. Adrian told me you have Spirit too," I spoke slowly and calmly. "I saw how you healed Dimitri. The light inside you is strong."

"Dimitri," her face turned beautifully solemn. "Is he—is he okay?" Her voice was pained and full of shame. I hadn't been to check on him yet, but I could only assume if Rose wasn't screaming to all hell, that he was at least alive.

"I think so." It was the best I could do. Her gaze moved back to her lap and water began to fill her sea-green eyes. I reached my hand over and grasped hers, needing to comfort her in some small way. "He will be. Thanks to you." She looked at my hand on hers and slowly moved her gaze all the way up my arm and to my face. My heart raced under her admiring stare and I suddenly found it hard to breathe.

I cleared my throat to steady my pulse and moved my hand back to my own lap. She seemed somewhat calm now and it peaked my curiosity. There was something I had been dying to ask her, but I was afraid of scaring her off. Maybe now that I had her talking, it was a good time as any to try. Before I could chicken out, I went for it. "Princess, I need to ask you about Nikolai."

After I restored her I looked across the room where Kristof's lifeless body had been, afraid that he may have healed and was ready to take me out now that I was vulnerable—but he had vanished. I'm not sure when he made his escape, or where to, but I needed to find out.

Her expression hardened slightly, but she held my gaze nonetheless. "The Order sent him to me for protection."

"The Order," I questioned. Rose had mentioned that name after she spied on Vasilisa through the bond. We were so focused on everything else that had happened, we hadn't really thought to look into it more. She nodded in response, with an eerily knowing look in her eyes. "Who is the—"

My next question was cut off when the door to the room creaked open and Vasilisa's gaze shot back down to the floor. Christian walked in, looking about ten times better, but somehow that made me more irritated than relieved. Christian had been my biggest ally amongst this group, but as he sat down next to the Princess and pulled her close to him, I suddenly felt a pang of resentment towards him.

Lissa leaned into his embrace but turned her observing eyes to me once more, enrapturing me into her elegant spell again.

 **DPOV**

 **Songs: Morning by Beck, Renegade by Styx**

The last thing I saw as my vision slipped away were her soft, brown eyes. They held sadness and concern, tears pouring out of them, but I was thankful for them all the same. She was safe. The Princess was safe. And my Roza would live on.

I upheld my promise to her and helped her bring back her best friend. I stayed by her side until the end and held her in my arms one last time.

I could only pray that I had done enough good in this life to earn the right to stand beside her again in the afterlife. I let the darkness cover me like a draping sheet and pull me away from her. My heart began to still and my mind drifted to an image of her smiling face.

Somehow death was warmer than I thought it would be. Just as quickly as the darkness came, a new light formed in its place. It was soothing and sweet. My broken body felt lighter than before as it was pulled to a new place. But to where, I wasn't sure.

I thought I heard someone say my name, a man's voice. It sounded oddly like Adrian's, but it couldn't have been. Last I saw, he was beside Rose. Alive. Something I was not.

That same pleasant light coursed through me, rejuvenating me with each pulse of my heart. But my heart had stopped? I could feel it wrapping around my bones, tugging at my fingertips, dancing across my eyes.

 _My eyes_. They felt heavy, but somehow lighter than before. I realized they were still shut. When I decided it was time I faced this new light, I struggled to get them open. They slowly splintered, closing slightly before opening again as they adjusted to the blinding light.

I let out a soft moan as the brightness shot waves of pain into my head and heard shuffling beside me in response. Something pressed into my hand. Something soft and familiar. I squeezed back, causing faint bolts of electricity to dart up my arm.

I finally mustered the strength to open my eyes fully, and could now see a dark silhouette forming through the bright lights. "Dimitri, can you hear me?"

The voice of an angel called out to me, the sweetness flowing into my ears and filling my chest. My vision started to align and I could make out the features of my love. My Roza. "Moya milaya," I breathed out. My heart soared at the radiant vision above me. But that relief and bliss quickly morphed into another realization.

"Why are you here with me," I asked her. This wasn't right. She was alive. I was not. She shouldn't be here. "You were safe," I whispered, trying not to let the panic and shooting pain in my skull take over my senses.

"It's alright, Dimitri," her heavenly voice soothed as she gently ran her hand across my cheek. "We're both safe. _You're_ here with _me_." I blinked a few times, letting her words seep in, still not fully understanding them. I looked around as much as my heavy head would allow and could see a small window behind her, a faint light coming in through it. The walls were stark white, just like the floor, and there was a burning clean smell throughout the space.

"What— _where_ are we?" I felt a small twinge in my ribs as I tried to sit up. Rose gently pressed her hand into my shoulder, holding me in place.

"Don't try to move around. Not just yet," she guided. "Lissa tried to heal you, but there is still a lot of damage to mend. You need rest."

 _Lissa_. Suddenly, my thoughts were clearer. The light. The warmth. It wasn't the afterlife. It was Vasilisa. "She—she healed me," I faintly asked. Rose nodded and smiled in response as she stroked my hair. I reached up and grasped on to her hand. "So you're really here? We're here together?"

"Yes," she breathed out with tears forming in her eyes. I reached my other hand up to the back of her neck, suppressing a wince at the movement, and pulled her closer to me so that our foreheads touched. We stayed there for a moment, breathing in each other and just _being_ there. For the first time, we weren't running off on some life-threatening mission or plotting a way to face our enemies head on. We were just here. Nothing was certain except for the fact that we had each other. She was mine and I was hers. And that was all I needed.

I felt a small, warm droplet hit my cheek and realized my eyes had closed. When I opened them I could see streaks of tears running down Rose's face. "Shh, milaya. Everything's alright." I pulled her head to my chest and wrapped her in my arms. "I thought you were gone," she quietly sniffled.

I stroked my hand through her silky hair and closed my eyes as I reveled in the feeling of it between my fingertips. A feeling I never thought I would get to indulge in again. "I told you, Roza," I whispered in assurance. "I will never leave you."

/

I must have drifted off because the next thing I knew I was waking up again, but Rose was no longer on my chest. My head was slightly less fuzzy and my vision was crisp. I moved my arm to stretch and test out my flexibility, but something hindered my movements. Where the warmth from Roza's hand had been, was now something rough and cold clamped around my right wrist. I tried to move again and looked down to see what was stopping me from maneuvering.

The fluorescent light caught a silver ring chained to the hospital bed, sending a flash of realization into my gut. My eyes darted around the room, searching for Rose but she was nowhere to be found. Outside the door, I could make out a tall figure through the slim window standing unnervingly still.

 _They found me_.

I yanked at the handcuffs keeping me strapped to the bed, causing a clanking noise to reverberate off the white tiled floors. The shadowed figure by my door shifted at the sound and I tugged harder, trying to wrench my arm free.

The door handle moved and voices carried into the room as the door retched open. Two men dressed in all black shuffled in and moved beside me to reinforce my restraints. I thrashed against one of them, causing a shooting pain to leech up my side. I let out a growl, half in frustration and half in reaction to the pain. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," a voice called out as a third figure walked into the room. "The way I see it is you're battered, outnumbered, and currently strapped down to that sorry excuse for a bed. I could always have the nurse add more drugs to your IV, but I'd prefer to have a civilized conversation."

I looked up to the familiar voice to see a man I recognized. Hans Croft, the head Guardian at Court, was standing at the end of my bed. If he was here, it was very clear that these other two men were not the only Guardians on patrol. He was right. I was seriously outnumbered.

"Now I'm only going to ask this once, and your answer will determine how the rest of this will play out." I stared at him deadpanned, refusing to give anything away. "Where is Princess Vasilisa Dragomir?"

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm back! Sorry for the absence, I hope it wasn't too painful. Maybe hearing from Dimitri made up for it? Thanks for sticking around :)


	30. Chapter 30

**Ch. 30**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: I Know Places by Lykke Li, Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes, These Stones Will Shout by Raconteurs**

He had finally woken up.

The doctors told me he would eventually, it would just take time. _Time_. Time was completely relative. It could mean minutes, hours, _days_ and no one could give me a straight answer. How much _time_ it would take for me to see my love's chocolate eyes gazing into mine again. How much _time_ for his body and mind to fully heal. How much _time_ until Lissa would let me come near her. Or how much _time_ we all had together until this all fell apart again.

It was ironic really. I was normally the one waking up in hospital beds with worried faces hovering above me. I wondered how many times I had left my friends feeling this way until I managed to croak out a sarcastic word at Dr. Olendzki. How many times had Dimitri had to suffer at my bedside as he waited for my recovery? I had never really thought about how those various injuries affected anyone else before, and I felt a twinge of guilt for ever making him feel this way. I squeezed his hand a little harder and promised him I would try my best to stay out of these situations again if he would just wake up for me now.

He didn't. And after several hours of staring at him—silently pleading for him to open his eyes—I fell asleep.

I dreamt of him. Of a time back at St. Vlad's.

 _It wasn't long after Mason passed when I had finally convinced Dimitri to resume our practices. It was early Moroi morning and the sun was still out. It had been gloomy and cloudy for days now, almost as if even the skies were mourning Mason's loss. I was on my way to practice to meet Dimitri. Naturally, I was already running late and should have booked it straight to the gym, but something delayed me. I felt it before I saw it. I was mid-jog, high-tailing it through the courtyards when something cold and wet hit my cheek._

 _It stopped me in my tracks, I could practically feel the grass roll-up beneath my heels. I moved my hand up to my face, eerily expecting it to be blood from the sword I used to strike down Isaiah. The memories of that day were still haunting my dreams and would sometimes leach their way into my reality. But instead of warm, thick red was a cool white substance. A snowflake, I realized._

 _I looked up to the sky to see a mass of them fluttering down into the space I was currently occupying. Snow most certainly was not a rare occurrence in Montana and I had seen it dozens of times before, but this particular fall drew me in. I stood still with my face to the sky, letting the white, fluffy specs melt on my skin. The sensation somehow made me feel warmer. A strange comfort to know that my skin could melt away those small bits of frost._

 _A throat cleared behind me and my face shot in the direction it had come from. I tried to hide my alarm, but my initial reaction gave it away. We had been working on stealth techniques and I was slightly embarrassed that he had managed to sneak up on me once again when I had yet to get the jump on him even once._

" _What are you doing out here," his Russian accent sang._

 _Still refusing to admit he had caught me completely off-guard, I shrugged my shoulders noncommittedly and looked back up to the sky. "Oh you know, just taking in the sights."_

 _He walked over to me, the icy grass crunching under his boots. His steps stopped as he took position next to me and we stood side by side for a moment, watching the snow trickle in around us. "It's unusually late for snow," Dimitri inferred. "It will probably be the last fall of the season."_

 _I hummed in response, keeping my gaze up to the sky. After a few lingering moments I turned my sights over to Dimitri and watched as the light flurry whirled around him. His usual serious facade was worn down and he looked remarkably at peace. "Back home, my sisters and I had a tradition during the first snow of the year," his deep voice reminisced. "I remember one year, it came in the middle of the night. My younger sister sprang into my room and shook me awake. I had half a mind to shoo her away and bury my face in my pillow, but she gave me that pitying look she had mastered and knew there was no way I could turn her down." He let out a short, soft laugh and my heart jumped at the sound._

" _She drug me out of bed, only giving me enough time to grab a pair of boots and a summer jacket before we darted out of the house. My other two sisters were already outside with blankets waiting for us. We all huddled together underneath them on the porch as we watched the first snow of the season fall from the sky. We stayed out there for hours, just as we did every year, and observed as the neighborhood slowly turned white with snow," Dimitri had this faraway look as he spoke, as if he was reliving that day on his porch with his family. "Sometimes we would chat about the first thing we would do when the snow settled, other times we would just sit there quietly, enjoying each other's company."_

 _My mood had been relatively solemn the past couple of weeks since Mason had died, but hearing Dimitri recount a time from his childhood and share a personal story with me caused me to feel cheerful for the first time in a while._

 _When he looked over to me I couldn't help but smile as I pictured him with three dark-haired girls cuddled up under a blanket as a snowfall, similar to this one, floated down around them. His eyes slightly widened at my smile and looked down to it for a moment. When his eyes met mine again, there was a hint of playfulness behind them. He turned his face upwards and opened his mouth wide, with his tongue slightly sticking out._

" _What are you doing," I exclaimed, shocked to see the serious Guardian Belikov do anything remotely silly._

" _What," he looked at me like what he was doing was completely normal. "You've never caught snowflakes on your tongue?"_

" _Well, yeah," I replied with a scoff. "But I didn't think you had."_

" _Why? Because there is no room for fun and games in Russia?" He turned his head back up as a couple white flakes melted on his tongue._

 _I laughed at his lighthearted mood. "Not exactly. But I assumed most of your games consisted of vodka-drinking and dog sledding."_

 _He smiled at my taunting response and replied with a challenge. "Well that may be true in some cases, but I bet I can still catch more snowflakes than you."_

" _Oh really," I responded as he rose an eyebrow at me, silently asking if I was game. I met his gaze for a moment then shot my face up to the sky, letting the snowflakes trickle into my wide-open mouth. The game started with us jutting our head around, trying to catch as many flakes as we could, but after catching glimpses of one another from the corner of our eyes we began laughing uncontrollably. I still had my face up to the sky, refusing to lose as my laughs reverberated off my throat. Dimitri finally conceded and through breaths, he said, "Alright, alright you win. I bow down to the snowflake master."_

 _The new title he gave me caused my laughs to increase to the point I was gripping my stomach. Eventually, they died down to soft giggles and I managed to stand up straight to face my opponent head-on. There was a soft look on his face that could have melted every inch of fallen snow on the ground._

 _I realized that when he found me, he could have scolded me for being late and hurried me back to the gym for practice, but instead he went out of his way to lighten my mood, even if only for a little while. My eyes darted across his face, admiring his serene look that I rarely got to see. He reached his hand out to mine, enveloping it in his natural warmth as he gave me a small squeeze. "Come on Roza. We should get inside before you freeze."_

 _I nodded in agreeance, my heart swelling at the endearing nickname that he only used when he was feeling particularly sentimental, and he dropped my hand as we both moved towards the gym. I spared one last glance behind me at the open courtyard to see that the snow had stopped falling. There were small traces of it clinging to the trees and benches that would probably melt within the hour. It was as if the snow had fallen just for us and that short moment would soon become a memory, kept secret amongst the two of us and the melted snow._

Suddenly, something pulled me from my dream and back to consciousness. I felt a small twinge in my hand where it still rested in Dimitri's, almost like an echo from a previous movement. I looked down at my hand—where just a moment ago Dimitri had been standing in the snow squeezing it—hoping that he had woken up, but the harsh realization smacked me in the face as the last moments of my dream washed away. It started to appear that my desperation had accelerated into hallucinations, when all of a sudden a small noise escaped from Dimitri's lips.

I scurried out of my seat and squeezed his hand harder as I hovered above him. When I spoke, his brown eyes finally opened and if it weren't for the bed frame supporting me, I would have collapsed.

He had finally woken up.

/

There was a small, timid knock at the door before it creaked open. "Rose," Eddie whispered. I looked over to him, my head still resting on Dimitri's chest as it moved evenly in his sleep. "Rose, I'm sorry to bother you but you need to come out here. There's someone here to see you." I looked up to see that Dimitri's sleep hadn't been disturbed and gently pressed myself off of him. I brushed a piece of his hair back and lightly kissed him on the forehead, whispering against his skin, "I'll be right back."

I didn't waste time wondering who it was or why they were here. The only thoughts as I stood to leave were how quickly I could make them go away so I could return to Dimitri's side.

I hurriedly pushed past the door and followed Eddie into the waiting area. Without even needing to look around the room for the intruding visitor, I spotted her. Her auburn curls bounced loosely above her shoulders as my mother quickly walked towards me. She stopped a few feet away, hesitant to fully approach me. I looked at her, shocked for a moment, then without warning, I launched myself into her arms and pulled her into a tight hug. I'm not sure what compelled me to do it, we weren't normally the affectionate type, but so much had happened in the span of a few weeks and at that moment I just needed my mother.

"Rosemarie, I'm so glad you're safe," she whispered into my hair. I felt her grip around me tighten slightly and I let out a relieved breath. After another moment, we released our hold and awkwardly stood facing one another, unsure where to go from here.

"I'm sorry I left without telling you, but I had to do it. I had to save Lissa." My mother understood our duty more than most. She was a seasoned Guardian and always upheld to the highest of standards. But somehow, the understanding look in her eyes was stemmed from something else.

"I know, Rose," she said as she stroked a piece of my hair. "I'm proud of you."

My throat tightened at her words and I could feel tears start to prick my eyes. I never realized how much I had needed to hear that from her before, and the feeling was almost overwhelming. But before I could have another emotional breakdown, she cut in again.

"But that's not the only reason I'm here." Her look turned serious and I straightened up a bit. "The Guardians caught word of you and Guardian Belikov's whereabouts. They are on their way here and we have to leave now."

I shook my head in disbelief. _How could they have found out so soon?_ "Dimitri is in no condition to leave. He's still badly injured."

The bleak look on her face spoke legions.

"You want me to leave him," I bit down. "No! Absolutely not. He's finally woken up. I can't just abandon him and let the Guardians take him away." I took a couple of steps away from her, my scowl growing by the second.

"Ibrahim has told me that the Princess is in no shape to be hauled off to court and needs to stay within your protection until she is ready," she argued. "If any of you stay here, you will be taken with them as well. How can you expect to protect the Princess from a jail cell?"

Her words ignited my anger. I knew she was only trying to get me to see reason, but my emotions were running hot and I felt like she was throwing my duty to Lissa in my face. Just another person asking me to choose again.

"Ibrahim? Why are you putting so much trust in Abe," I spat back. "Who's to say he won't rat us out as soon as we get Lissa to him?"

"He won't," Janine gritted through her teeth. "Now come on, Rose. We have to go." She moved towards me and grabbed my arm.

"No," I pulled it free from her grasp. I was acting like a stubborn child, but I didn't care. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on with you two. Why is he so concerned with what happens to us? Why should I trust someone who has the reputation of a snake? What aren't you telling me?!" My voice rose with each sentence I spoke and my mother looked around nervously, avoiding my stern glare.

"We're not going anywhere until you—" my repeating argument was cut off by my mother's outburst.

"Because he's your father!"

My boiling blood instantly turned to ice, frozen still in my veins. I just stared at her dumbfounded. Unable to speak. "Because he's your father," she repeated more calmly.

I stood there as a million thoughts raced through my mind. It was all coming together in a flash of lightning. His protective nature around Dimitri, his insistence on helping us, his weird innuendo's about me and my mother. "Oh. My. God."

"Rosemarie, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was all very complicated and I—"

"I'm Zmey's daughter," I interrupted as my far-off stare glued to the wall. "Zmey junior. Zmeyette even!"

"Rose," my mother admonished.

"Oh god. This can't be happening." I dropped my head into my hands and let out a groan.

"Sorry to interrupt," Eva's cheeky voice cut in. "But if the Guardians really are on their way, she's right. We have to get out of here now."

I peeked through my hands to see her and Adrian standing beside me with worried looks on their faces. "I know you don't want to leave him, Rose," Adrian placed a hand on my shoulder as my arms fell to my side. "But there's still work that needs to be done with taking down the Mână and it would all be for nothing to let everyone else go down now. Not when we've come this far," his pitying look caused my gut to churn. "It's what Dimitri would want."

That last sentence was the final blow to my resistance. I knew he was right. If Dimitri were here, he would be practically yelling at me to get out and get Lissa to safety. As much as it killed me to leave him behind, especially now that I had just gotten him back, I knew what I had to do. What he had trained me to do.

"Alright," I sighed out, "let's go. Wouldn't want to keep dear old dad waiting."

* * *

 **A/N** : What? Two updates in one week? If you think I'm trying to kiss up for being on vacation for so long...then you're probably right ;). Well, the cat's out of the bag and Rose finally knows.

Insert meme: * Keep calm. Dimitri's catching snowflakes. * hehe

As always, thanks for reading!


	31. Chapter 31

**Ch. 31**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Suburbs by Mr. Little Jeans, Medicine by Daughter**

After the hospital, we boarded Abe's private plane and shipped out to one of his homes in Pennsylvania near Court. We all knew Dimitri wouldn't tell them anything about where we were if we went back to the hotel in Paris, but we figured the last place they would look for us was right at their doorstep.

The first couple of days were rough. Lissa would go from silent, unnerving shock to pain-filled screams and shouting. She still wasn't seeing me and it was really starting to get to me.

I didn't hold any resentment towards her. I knew everything that she did wasn't her fault. Not really. But for some reason, she couldn't see past that. Eva told me she blamed herself for Dimitri being taken away. It was obvious she blamed herself for a lot more, but she wasn't talking about that yet.

I hated that Lissa was opening up to Eva, but I had to remind myself that it was better than not opening up to anyone. I could tell it was starting to eat at Chris as well. She would let him near her at least and even touch her at times, but she had insisted on her own room—despite our protests—and had yet to speak more than a few short sentences to him.

I had been spending most of my time in the downstairs library. Not a normal place for me to venture, that's for sure, but it brought me comfort. Being around the smell of old, worn paperbacks made me feel closer to Dimitri.

It also gave me an excuse to hide out from another particular topic I wasn't ready to face head on...my father. Abe and I had been doing an awkward dance around each other since we got off the plane. It was a cross somewhere between a ballet and the chicken dance—giving that particular routine a whole new meaning. I wasn't scared to talk to him, per say, I just didn't know how to be around him. Before he was just some mobster fronting our renegade misadventures, but now that I knew I was related to him, I felt completely weirded out. Not to mention having to witness him and my mother interact. She turned into a blushing schoolgirl around him. She was practically smitten! It was disgusting.

When it became obvious I wasn't happy in the slightest about leaving Dimitri behind—I may or may not have broken a few _very expensive_ things—Abe tried to assure me that they wouldn't hurt Dimitri. It wasn't the Guardian or Moroi way to torture their captives, but I knew as well as anyone that there were plenty of ways to torture someone without physical abuse. He was currently being transported to Court to await questioning, but picturing him in a cold cell completely alone felt like a knife twisting in my gut.

I wished more than anything I could talk to him. I was at a complete loss on what to do about Lissa and was in desperate need of one of his Zen life lessons. I stared off into space, my eyes slowly skimming over the rows and rows of books, as I tried to think about what he would say. After coming up short for the hundredth time, I eventually nodded off.

I woke with a stir, my neck sore from my awkward position in the leather chair. I rolled my shoulders as I sat up and looked around to see what could have woken me. There was a strange tingling sensation rising up the back of my neck and I instinctively ran my hand along my tattoos. When it was clear there wasn't a spider or some other pestering bug crawling up my back, I tried to think what else could have caused it. I looked down at my hand to see that the ring Oksana had given me was still there. I could tell it had weakened and I hadn't had the chance to get it recharged by Eva yet, but without constantly trying to block out Lissa I was putting less effort towards my barriers anyways.

 _Lissa_. The prickling at my hairline caused my back to shiver and I sat up straighter in my seat. _Maybe it was a stir in the bond that had woken me?_ I chose to stay out of Lissa's head for now, partially out of respect for her privacy and partially because I was afraid of what I would see in there, but maybe she was reaching out to me. I shimmied the ring off my finger, confident that the ghosts would stay away as long as we were still behind the wards, and placed the silver band on a nearby table. As soon as it fell from my fingers I was pulled into Lissa's mind. A small breath escaped me when her familiar warmth coursed through me instead of the cold chill I had been burdened with for weeks. I tried to focus but her vision was clouded by tears and I couldn't make out anything in the dimly lit room. However, as soon as my other senses caught up and a familiar scent in the air seeped into my nose, my nerves jolted.

 _Blood_. I sprang into action, bolting from the library to her room. I burst through her door without knocking and frantically searched for her. I didn't see her anywhere in the open space but could hear soft wails coming from a corner of the room. My eyes darted to a small beam of light peeking out from under the bathroom door and I carefully walked over to it. The smell from the bond grew stronger in my own body the closer I got to the room and flashes of her with cuts on her arm at the academy caused my pulse to race. No longer caring about being quiet or keeping calm, I flung the bathroom door open and stepped inside.

She was crouched down on the floor with her back to me, rocking back and forth in small, quick regressions. I reached my hand out but thought better of touching her in case she still had a sharp object in her grasp. Instead, I quietly spoke out, "Liss?"

The sound of my voice stilled her nervous movements and she darted her face around. The shift in her posture gave me a better view of the scene and I could see her arms were unscathed, but there were red streaks all along her hands. I fell down to the floor beside her, causing her to scoot away from me. "Liss, what did you do? What happened?"

She pulled her hands against her, droplets of blood falling onto the cool tiles in the process. "The blood. It wouldn't come off. It haunts me. I can't get it off." Her voice was tremulous from crying and her stare was wide, fixed on her shaky hands. I carefully reached out for one of them and her breath hitched at my movement.

"Please Liss," I soothed. "Let me see." I was surprised when she obliged and allowed me to gently pull one of her marred hands towards me. I avoided touching any of the wounds directly as I examined it. They seemed to be relatively shallow—scratches from her own fingernails—and wouldn't need medical attention, which caused me to relax the tiniest bit. The closer I looked it appeared the scratches were stemming from her nailbeds trailing across the top of her hand. It was then I understood. The nail polish.

Underneath the fresh blood coating her hands, I could see the remnants of that deep red polish she had coveted as a Strigoi. I looked up at her again, her gaze was expectantly waiting for me. "I couldn't get it off," she breathed out as her sea-green eyes filled up with gleaming pools of tears.

"It's alright Lissa," I whispered back, giving her forearm a small squeeze. "I'll help you." I reached behind me and turned on the hot water in the sink and dug through one of the top drawers, pulling out a fresh towel and a nail file. I used the towel and warm water to delicately clean her hands and got to work on her nails, avoiding hitting any of her fresh cuts. I could feel her stare fixed on the top of my head as I deftly worked on her hands. When I was satisfied there wasn't a single trace left of that sick reminder of the monster she had become, I toweled them off one more time and delicately laid them in her lap.

When I looked up to her again, I could clearly see the dark pits sinking under her eyes and noticed the shallowness of her breathing. "Lissa, I want you to tell me the truth," I spoke sternly. "When's the last time you fed?"

Her brow scrunched as she looked away from me. "I don't want any. I don't want the blood." She tried to meet my authoritative tone but came up short, unveiling her pained exhaustion.

"You need to feed Lissa. If you want these to heal, then you have to—"

"No!" Her steely glare shot towards me, causing me to go rigid. For a second I saw a flash of red in her eyes that made my blood turn cold. I quickly blinked away the nightmare and tried to steady my breathing. Noticing my reaction, Lissa looked down shamefully and I mentally kicked myself for it.

"I'm sorry," I started. "I'm not going to try and force you to do anything you don't want to. I'm just worried about you."

She flinched at those last words and let out a scoff with her face still pointed to the ground. "How can you be worried about me? I'm a monster."

I grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at me, and stared her deep into her jade eyes. "No you are not," I said with finality. "You aren't that person anymore Lissa."

Her dry lips started to tremble as she met my intense gaze. "So many faces. People I killed," she shakily replied. "What if I can't control it? What if I kill again?"

"You won't," I said automatically.

"How can you be so sure," there was a pleading note to her voice. Something begging me to tell her that her worst fears wouldn't come true. That she would never be that person again.

"Because that isn't you. The Lissa I know, the _real_ you, would never willingly hurt someone, and that hasn't changed." I smoothed back her hair and placed a piece behind her ear. "Plus I can feel you, remember," I smirked and pointed to my head.

A small tight-lipped smile curled for an instant before she looked at me seriously again. "I don't trust myself yet, Rose. I don't think I can do it."

I knew there were other solutions. We could get her a blood bag until she felt comfortable enough feeding from a human again, but that wasn't good enough. How long would it take for her to realize she wasn't some monster waiting to be unleashed? I needed her to know that we didn't see her that way anymore and searched for a way that would help her mind start to heal. Then a brilliant or stupid idea—depending on how you looked at it—popped into my head.

I rolled up my sleeve and stuck my bare arm out towards her, giving her a small nod in invitation.

Lissa's eyes went wide with shock, immediately understanding what I was offering. "No, Rose. I can't. What if I—"

"I trust you," I deadpanned, cutting off whatever argument she was about to say. "You won't hurt me."

She stared at me, amazed by my complete trust in her even after everything we had gone through. Her lips parted as if she meant to say something else, but nothing came out. I could see her resistance starting to wear down so I nodded again in encouragement, lifting my arm the slightest bit higher as I whispered again, "I trust you."

She looked down to my arm, and I could see the hunger boiling inside her. I had seen that look a thousand times when accompanying her to the feeders lounge, or even before she took my own blood out of necessity, but somehow it still sent a dart of worry through me—even if only for an instant. Before I could change my mind or say anything to scare her off, Lissa's fangs launched forward and sank into my arm. The action caused my pulse to race and panic to flutter inside my chest, but just as soon as it rose it faded into relief. I had convinced her to finally feed and knew it was a huge step in her recovery. As my blood flowed from my arm and into her mouth I felt the beginnings of her venom affecting my endorphins, but not nearly as much as it had when we were on the road in Portland.

It only lasted a small moment and before I felt pulled into that deep familiar high, Lissa released her hold on me and sat back. I knew she hadn't drunk nearly enough, but didn't want to push her.

"Thanks," she said timidly as she wiped a drop of blood from the corner of her mouth.

"What are friends for," I shrugged as I flashed her a playful smile. Her expression warmed and I could see another small piece of her old self coming back to her. My head was spinning a little and the bathroom floor suddenly felt too cold underneath us. I slowly stood up, paying particular attention to my balance as I rose. When I felt steady on my feet I reached out my other arm to help her up. "Come on, it's late. We should get you back into bed."

I poked my head into her room and looked around to make sure no one else had come in looking for us. When I decided the coast was clear I motioned for her to follow me. We made our way over to her bed and I pulled the covers back for her as she got in. After I comfortably tucked her in, I turned to leave but before I could go anywhere she called out to me.

"Rose?"

"Yeah Liss," I said as I turned to face her again.

"Stay with me," she quietly asked. I remembered back to a similar time in Baia where I had asked Dimitri to stay in his room with me. I needed him there to make me feel safe, to provide me the security that I desperately sought but at the same time, was terrified to ask for.

I nodded in response to her modest request and walked back over to the bed. I crawled under the covers and laid on my side to face her. She looked slightly unsure, but still relieved to have me there. I reached up and stroked a piece of her pale blond hair soothingly and watched over her until she fell asleep. A string of Russian words floated into my mind from the quiet nights lying beside Dimitri. I wasn't sure what they meant, but as he whispered them over me when he thought I was asleep they warmed my soul and gave me the comfort I needed to relax enough to rest. I softly murmured them as my eyes closed, knowing that I probably hadn't gotten all the words right, but hoped the meaning behind them would still work the same.

 **DPOV**

 **Songs:** **Dreamcatchers by Odetta Hartman,** **Rooster by Alice In Chains,** **Nightcall by Kavinsky**

I had been in a hypnagogic state since we arrived at the Royal Court. The iridescent lights made it nearly impossible to sleep. They never turned off, giving me no indication of how long I had been down here. Everything about this cell was too small. The bed that barely fit my width little less my length, the sink that was far too low to the ground, and the walls that seemed to close in on me by the hour.

My body had mostly healed after a couple of days and I was beyond relieved to move out of that ridiculous hospital bed, but would welcome it now after being in this place.

I was going insane.

Every time I shut my eyes, a vision of Rose hovering over me under a bright light danced across my vision. When the Guardians had first come for me, I thought it had been a hallucination and she had never really been there. But after catching the faintest scent of her shampoo on my chest where she had laid before, I knew it was real. I tried to cling to that vision to help send me into sleep, but a buzzing flicker from those pestering bright lights or an echo from someone entering the hall always pulled me back.

Lack of sleep wasn't necessarily something new. We had been trained to go strenuous amounts of time without it or catching rest in short increments when we could, but this was a whole other level...even for me.

After what felt like hours but was probably only minutes of failing to fall asleep again, I got up and began my normal routine—pacing. It was probably my overtired imagination, but I swear I could see the cement starting to wear along the trail behind my anxious feet.

"Belikov!"

My face darted up, slightly more slowly than usual, at the sound of my name. A surly, red-headed Guardian stood at the end of my cell and I quickly wondered how long he had been there without me noticing. I let out a grunt in acknowledgment, pretty much the only form of communication I had participated in since being apprehended.

"Hands through the bars," he ordered. His accent sounded similar to Janine's when her angry, Scottish side came out. I had witnessed it a handful of times and was unfortunately on the other side of that wrath as well. I stared him down for a moment—if only to keep myself from launching at the bars and begging for reprieve. I couldn't appear weakened or they would surely take advantage of my current state.

Eventually, I reached my hands vertically through a gap in the bars so he could place those pesky cuffs on me. He tightened them a little more than necessary and shoved my hands back through, eliciting a feral growl from me. Normally, I wouldn't let him see how much that annoyed me but the exhaustion was eating away at my self-control.

As he yanked open my cage, two other Guardians simultaneously appeared next to him. I rolled my eyes at the unnecessary cavalry. Now that I had most of my strength back I could most likely take the three of them out, but it would be impossible to get past the other hundreds of guards around court and through the front gates; not to mention the fact that even if I did, I had no idea where Rose and the others were. The ginger Guardian pulled me forward by my shoulder and shoved me in front of them. I complied, if only to get out of that godforsaken hole, and continued to walk down the hall with the other two Guardians flanking me. When we reached the end of the hall, another Guardian joined the ranks and walked in front of me so that I was now encased in a new portable cage made of flesh and blood instead of steel.

We went through a few doorways and I tried to sharpen my tired mind to memorize the path we were taking. Eventually, we reached another doorway and two of the Guardians stood beside it rather than going through. As I walked in with the remaining two, the Scottish Guardian lifted his arm to push me again. Without turning around I deftly moved to the left to avoid his jab and jutted my heel into his ankle, causing him to stumble forward. When he regained his footing he charged towards me with gritted teeth. I held my position as he pressed his face inches from mine until the other Guardian moved an arm between us and pulled him back.

"Back off Conall. Don't start any trouble," the other Guardian admonished.

"Yeah Conall," I goaded. "Wouldn't want to start something you couldn't finish."

That set the little fireball off.

"And you," the Guardian pointed to me while holding a flailing Conall back. "Shut your goddamn traitor mouth before I muzzle you."

"That won't be necessary," a new voice interrupted, causing all three of our heads to turn. "Besides, it would be rather counter-productive wouldn't it?" Hans Croft walked through the doorway and motioned for me to sit at a table near the center of the small room. I brushed past Conall as I made my way to the steel chair and plopped down heavily into the seat.

Hans moved to sit across from me and placed a folder of documents down as he sat. "You two can go now," he waved at the other Guardians. "I can take it from here."

Before they made it fully out the door, I promptly added, "I'll be seeing you around _Conall_ ," eliciting one last sneer to form on his freckled face.

"Was that really necessary," Hans rebuked as the door shut us out from the rest of the watchers in the hall.

"He annoyed me," I huffed in response.

"Take a number," he replied as he looked down to his open folder. I suddenly felt like I had been transported back to St. Vladimir's and was once again being interrogated by Guardian Petrov and Janine Hathaway. Maybe it was being around Conall's red hair and Scottish accent, but for a moment I could have sworn I saw Janine brooding there in the corner of the room. I had to shake my head to wake up from the daydream scene my lethargic mind had created as Hans presumed to repeat a question to me.

"Where is Princess Vasilisa Dragomir?"

I took a deep breath, pushing it out through my nostrils before responding. "I don't know."

"Witnesses spotted someone who looked remarkably like the Dragomir Princess at the hospital with you, which is odd since she had supposedly been taken during the attack on St. Vladimir's over a month ago," he disputed. I stared at him deadpanned, giving nothing away. "We thought it may have been a mistake, but those we spoke to were adamant about it being her." The slow tapping of his fingers on the desk seemed to be in synchronization with the ticking of a hanging clock behind me. I turned around to look at it, hoping to get a sense of the time for the first time since being here, but was left confused when I saw there wasn't a clock there. "After receiving this news, the Moroi Council believes you are involved in her kidnapping and the attack on the school was just a cover-up to sneak her out. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to take her from the academy."

My guise cracked a little at that statement. It was the most absurd thing I had ever heard. Distracting me and Rose with a lust charm as Victor had done was one thing, but to actually stage an attack on the school where innocent lives were lost—it was complete madness. I straightened up a little, pulling my stone mask back into place before turning around to face him again. "Sounds like a lot of effort just to get one girl out of the academy. If I really wanted to sneak her out of there, for whatever reason you have cooked up, with all of my training and familiarity with the campus I wouldn't need an attack on the academy. Innocent people wouldn't have had to die."

"That may be true, but it would help cover your tracks and act as an alibi. If you weren't so sloppy," Hans added.

I huffed in response and leaned back in my seat, waiting to hear the bullshit he was about to lay on me. "According to the school reports, your whereabouts when the attack started are unknown. Guardian Petrov went on record to say that your warning helped jump-start the emergency responses, but it could have also been just rising guilt for the lives that were about to be lost because of you that spurred you to do it." I turned my scowl away from him and stayed silent, knowing that no matter what I said his mind was already made up that I was the bad guy here.

"Fine," he sighed as he shuffled through a couple more documents. "If you won't tell us where the Princess is, then maybe you can at least tell us where Rose Hathaway is."

My eyes instinctively darted over to his at the mention of Rose. A very small reaction that turned out to be a large mistake on my part. Croft noticed he had peaked my interest and the growing smirk on his face told me he was fully prepared to use it against me.

"Why is Novice Hathaway any of your concern," I attempted to sound impartial. "She hasn't done anything wrong."

"How can we know that for sure? Her whereabouts at the beginning and during the attack are unknown as well. Her disappearance shortly after also raises suspicion."

I had to painfully bite down on my tongue to keep my snarling words at bay and avoid revealing more information than I should. The taste of iron filled my mouth and a dull ringing reverberated through my ears as I tried to maintain my control. "Rose hasn't done anything wrong," I quietly repeated.

"Well, then you should have no problem telling me where the two of you were when the attack started, or why the both of you disappeared around the same time?" I looked down at the table before my impassive mask could completely fall. I wanted to defend her with every fiber of my being, but I was unable to find a way to clear her name without tarnishing it first; especially without the Princess here to back it up. If I was going down, there was no way in hell I was letting them take Rose with me. I began to feel defeated by my struggling battles with my emotions and my body. I fought to hold my drooping eyelids up, but I was tired. So tired.

"Look, Dimitri. Off the record," Hans lowered his voice as he leaned in. "I don't think you had any part in the attack or were plotting to take the Princess away. I remember the Guardian you were and don't believe that someone as dedicated and honorable as you would be capable of that." I looked up to meet his sympathizing expression and could see the truth behind his words as he continued. "But my hands are tied here. The evidence they thought up is detrimental and without compliance from you, there's not much I can do to help. If you can just tell me where the Princess is, I'm sure there's a way for us to clear all of this up. I can tell the last thing you want is the Hathaway girl sharing a cell next to you."

Those last few words hit me harder than they should have. Maybe it was the lack of sleep pulling at my emotions, but picturing her in one of those suffocating cages felt like a tightening grip inside my chest and around my throat. If I was already having a difficult time, I knew there was no way she would be able to handle it. She was like wildfire. She had this undying need to burn unbridled and free. I couldn't let them snuff her out. Not like this.

"You're right. It's the last thing I want," I said as my shoulders hung heavy with fatigue. "But even if I wanted to tell you, Guardian Croft, I don't know where she is."

A mournful sigh filled the room accompanied by the shuffling of papers. "Well then, Belikov I'm sorry," Croft said as he stood to leave with that same pitying look. "I truly am. For the both of you."

As soon as he exited the room, the same four men entered. This time I had lost all will or energy to rebel against them and let them shove me around until we were brought back to my cage. I kept my head down as they yanked at the shackles around my wrists. I didn't even struggle as they slid open the scraping steel doors and threw me inside. My hands and knees slammed into the cool cement, just barely keeping my face from colliding with the hard surface. I could hear Conall spit some smart-aleck remark at my back, but I didn't care anymore. I didn't care about anything. The complete and utter exhaustion combined with the thought of Rose being anywhere near this place had crushed my spirit and I had no one else to blame but myself. I lifted my depleted body onto the too small bed and buried my face between the mattress and slick wall, trying to hide my shame as a tear slid down my jaw.

\

After a couple hours, I finally moved my head from its makeshift nook and pressed my cheek into my flat pillow. I hoped that maybe now sleep would finally take me when suddenly, I heard a small sound from the other side of the room. I laid still, thinking that my over-tired imagination was running wild again when it grew louder. It sounded almost like...sniffling.

I lifted my heavy head and turned it towards the sound. When I spotted its source I blinked a few times to banish away the hallucination, but this time it remained. There was a small figure crouched in the corner of the cell, their shoulders moving in small, uneven pants. I looked to the front of the cell to see a guard still standing there with his back to the bars.

 _How had they moved someone in here without me noticing?_

I sat up and slowly moved over to the center of the room. The crouched figure didn't stir from their position and kept their face away. "Are you alright," I quietly asked. Their only response was a few more light sniffles. I looked over to the guard again who had yet to budge from his statuesque stance.

"Dimitri," her voice whispered to me. My eyes shot to the girl in the corner and I slowly took a step towards her. That voice was so familiar.

"Dimitri," she whispered again, her face still facing the wall. I gulped as I took another step in her direction and could now see those dark silk waves curtained around her face.

"Roza? Roza is that you," I shakily asked. A small wail escaped her and I reached my hand down to touch her hair. Once my skin made contact with her, there was no doubt in my mind she was here. "Rose. Oh, my Roza. What have they done to you?" I leaned down behind her and soothingly stroked her hair as her soft wails continued to echo off the wall. _How did they find her? How could they do this to her?_

"Don't worry, Rose. I'll find a way to get us out of here. I'll find a way to set you free," I promised her.

Suddenly her wailing stopped and her body went unnervingly still. Just then I realized that she seemed cold. Too cold. "No, Dimitri," her voice maliciously hissed out. An eerie scraping noise drew my attention away as the guard listlessly slid down the bars of the cell. When he slumped limply to the ground I shifted my focus back to Rose. She slowly began to turn her head towards me as she spoke, but her voice wasn't hers. "It is I who have come to set _you_ free."

When her face finally met mine, her red-ringed eyes turned my breath to ice in my lungs. "No," I croaked out. "No. It can't be." Those tainted orbs stared deep into me as if she was damning my soul. My heart shattered inside my chest and sent me careening backward to the ground. I screamed out her name as I fell.

I fell and fell and fell, her red eyes dragging me down to hell. But the hard surface below me never came. I thought I would fall for eternity when finally something soft and plush came up to meet me and pulled me into its soft cocoon.

I kept my eyes shut tight, afraid to see my distorted love waiting for me to wake. But instead of Rose, another familiar voice seeped into my ears. "Well, it's about time, Belikov. I've been waiting days for you to finally go to sleep."

My eyes shot open and I launched my torso up. I was sitting on a plush, king-sized bed in what appeared to be someone's bedroom. I looked over to my left to see Adrian, leaning against one of the bedposts. "Where am I," I asked dazedly. My memory became clouded, like waking up from a dream. _What had just happened? How did I get here?_

"In my room. I would have moved to yours but thought you could use a break. It was getting a little _crowded_ in there anyway," he raised an eyebrow at me.

My mind felt fuzzy _. How could a jail cell be crowded?_

Then the memory of what had happened rushed back to me. _Rose_.

"Rose! Where is she? Is she alright? What's happening?" I stood off the bed and frantically rushed towards him.

"Woah, calm down. It was just a nightmare, Dimitri," Adrian replied with an anxious look in his eyes. It was then that I realized I had a tight grip on his shoulders and had practically shaked him for answers. I dropped my hold and looked down at my hands, wondering when I had done that.

"I—I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on with me."

"It's okay," Adrian let out a relieved breath. "You're just over exhausted. You haven't slept in over five days. I've been trying to get in contact with you, but could never get a good hold on you."

Five days. I'd been in that place for _five days_. "But if we're here," I looked around. "That means we're in a—"

"A dream," he finished for me.

A Spirit dream. Rose had told me about them before. "I never imagined it would look so real," I said to myself.

"Why don't you take a seat," Adrian motioned over to a small sofa with an uneasy look on his face. I obliged to ease his worriment that I might snap at him again.

"So Rose is alright," I questioned more calmly this time. "She's safe?"

"Yes. She's fine. Worried about you, but fine," he smirked.

I released a calming sigh and laid my head back against the sofa. "Slava Bogu."

"She actually had a breakthrough with Lissa the other night," he started as he pulled a chair over to sit across from me. "It was tough going in the beginning, but something happened a few nights ago. We're not sure what, Rose said the details weren't necessary, but Lissa seems to be improving by the day."

"That's good news." I wasn't sure how long the Princess' recovery would take. I could only imagine the guilt and pain she must be suffering through. I couldn't even fathom coming to terms with that torment if I had been in her position.

"Great news actually," he started. "That means it won't be long before we can come to court and present our case to Aunt Tatiana. Those Mână pricks will finally be put away."

I let his words sink in and suddenly felt my stomach drop at the mention of them coming to court. Hans had expressed that the Council was now not only accusing me of these false deeds but were now looking into Rose as well.

"I'm getting an unexpected vibe from you Belikov," Adrian eyed me speculatively. "I thought the mention of your upcoming freedom would make you happy, but you look like someone just pissed in your milk."

I ran my hands over my face, hoping it would wash away some of the absurdity that Hans had poured into my mind just hours before. I glanced over at Adrian who was looking at me expectantly and decided I might as well tell him, maybe he could convince her not to come with them to court if he heard what they were accusing her of.

"What a crock of shit," he announced as soon as I was done.

"My thoughts exactly." I reached up and tried to rub out the dull ringing at the side of my head.

"You look like you could use a drink."

I raised an eyebrow at him and shook my head. "They don't really offer a side of Moskovskaya with our daily rations of food."

Suddenly, a chilled bottle of Russian vodka and two shot glasses appeared out of thin air on the table beside us. "Lucky for you, I aim to please," Adrian said with a wink. He reached out and poured the thick liquid into the glasses and handed one over to me. The glass was cool to the touch and I could detect the familiar sharp scent of my homeland's finest. I rolled the glass around in my hands, fascinated by how real it appeared.

"Za Vas," Adrian said as he lifted his glass to me. I hesitated a moment. I'd never been much of a drinker; really only a glass or two during special occasions. But I figured what the hell. It was a dream anyways, right?

"Za Vas," I repeated the toast before slinging the clear liquid into my mouth. My eyes widened at the burning taste, astonished by the image Adrian had created. Everything about the vodka was the same as I remembered, and I wondered if I drank enough if that calming buzz that normally accompanied it would arise. However, I decided against testing that theory and set my glass back down beside the misty bottle. Adrian on the other hand, poured himself another.

"Well, I'm not sure how much time we have left, but you should know better than anyone that I can't make Rose stay behind," he said as he drained his drink. "I'll tell her what you told me, but she's going to make up her own mind whether we like it or not."

The truth of that statement ironically made me grin. It was true. Rose was resilient and loyal to a fault. If there was a chance to clear my name I knew she would be at the frontlines, but I just hoped she would see reason and hang back until this all blew over. Wishful thinking.

Adrian looked at me curiously and I couldn't quite gauge the meaning behind that expression. I scrunched my brow as I tried to get a read on him, which apparently amused him. He let out a sigh and ruffled his hair as if he was shaking some cobwebs out.

"Listen, Belikov. I know your situation isn't ideal right now, but hang in there. We'll be coming s—"

Suddenly a furious wave of cold water fell over me, rushing into my nose and eyes. I gasped for air, thinking that Adrian had somehow transported us to the ocean, but quickly realized that my body was laying on something hard.

"Rise and shine knobdobber," that pesky Scottish accent rang.

I looked down to see my now too small bed was soaked in water, along with my face and torso. There was an empty bucket hanging from Conall's hands, which was no doubt the reason behind that satisfied smirk on his face.

I couldn't have had more than a few hours of sleep, but I already felt rejuvenated. Originally, the thought of Adrian invading my dreams would have irritated me beyond reproach but after seeing him I had to admit, I felt gratitude for not only the information, but the company as well. The news that Rose was making progress with Vasilisa and the thought of being able to hold her in my arms again soon sent a new wave of hope and perseverance through me.

I slowly rose from the soaked bed to tower over the Conall's stocky build. Noticing that I was a lot less complacent than a few hours ago caused his Adam's apple to bob nervously as he took a small step back.

"Ah, Conall," I replied as I moved forward. "Just the man I wanted to see."

* * *

 **A/N** : I know I usually put the dream and/or spirit dream sequences in italics, but I wanted to show here how the exhaustion was confusing Dimitri so much to the point he couldn't tell if he was dreaming or awake. Poor guy. But it looks like there may be a light at the end of the tunnel :D. Thanks for reading!

Translation:

Slava Bogu - Thank God

Za Vas - To you

Knobdobber - a complete prick of a tosser


	32. Chapter 32

**APOV**

 **Songs: Plastic Soul by Mondo Cozmo, Inside Out by Spoon**

"The white skirt and blue blouse, or the rose-pink dress?"

"That top really brings out your eyes."

"The Queen isn't going to give a shit about her eyes."

I watched with amusement as the three girls jabbered back and forth over what would impress my aunt the most. Lissa presented her options as Eva gushed over each one while Rose tried not to collapse from chronic boredom. The truth was, my aunt could care less what Lissa wore. She would be thrilled beyond belief to see her in the flesh and blood. Aunt Tatiana had developed a deep fondness for the Princess and hearing about her disappearance hit her harder than anyone really knew. I was certain that seeing Lissa alive and well would bring her overwhelming joy, even if she was presented in a tacky Juicy sweatsuit.

However, I wasn't about to tell the girls that. They were far too entertaining right now.

"Yes, but which one looks more regal? More respectable," Lissa shook the two hangers framing her face, causing the delicate fabric from the outfits to sway.

"I think that one." Eva pointed to the left and Lissa smiled appreciatively in response.

"Why are you taking her advice," Rose quipped as she slumped further onto the velvet bench across from Lissa. "She probably doesn't even know the Queen's name, little less what taste in wardrobe she has."

"Coming from the girl who purchased all her clothes at Bitchy Goths 'R' Us," Eva snapped back.

I let out a small laugh that I tried to cover up with a cough but was clearly unsuccessful as two pairs of sharp eyes darted towards me. "And what's so funny over there Ivashkov," Eva jutted her chin at me as her eyes narrowed in.

"Yeah," Rose added. "What are you even doing in here anyways? Don't you have something better to do other than act as the popcorn gallery to Lissa's _regal_ fashion show?" She put air quotes over Lissa's earlier choice word for her desired ensemble.

"I asked him over," Lissa delicately interjected.

"That's right," I spoke proudly. "I clearly have the most experience with what dear old Auntie would like, and obviously have the best taste in fashion in this room, as you two so cleverly pointed out."

Eva crossed her arms and let out a huff and Rose just shook her head with a combined look of exasperation and amusement. That expression quickly morphed into something more contemplative and she scrunched her brow as she turned over to Eva again. "What do you know about Goths anyways, Red?"

Eva shrugged her shoulders and said, "That they wear all black and brood around and stuff."

Rose gave Lissa a significant look that she hid behind the guise of scratching her nose.

"Well she's not far off," Lissa defended, earning a small laugh from Rose.

This routine went on for about another forty minutes until Lissa's outfit was finally complete. She plopped down on her bed, very unprincesslike, and let out an agitated sigh. I could tell it troubled Rose as she carefully moved closer to her. Lissa had made remarkable progress over the last two weeks of being here, but she was still jumpy at times and her mood swings were no joke. Everyone was "discreetly" walking on eggshells around her, which I could see she found extremely annoying.

"You alright," Rose asked tenderly. Lissa took in another deep breath and nodded with her gaze locked on her lap. "Is it the outfit? Because I don't know if I have it in me to look at the hundredth pair of strappy suede heels." Lissa's mouth curved into the tiniest hint of a smile at Rose's joking tone. My eyes shifted to another small movement when Rose began twirling the silver ring on her hand as she expectantly gazed at her friend.

I found that same ring in the library a couple weeks ago with no Rose attached to it. I had grown accustomed to seeing her wear it and momentarily wondered what would have driven her to take it off but quickly came to the conclusion that it must have had something to do with Lissa. I hadn't heard any disturbance in the night but walked quicker than necessary to her room all the same. I pressed my ear to the door with my hand on the knob, ready to bust in and assist her if there was some kind of trouble, but after a couple moments of no noise I turned the handle and peeked my head in. The scene that laid ahead rendered me astonished.

The room was dark but a faint beam of moonlight illuminated the center of the room, casting an almost celestial image: Lissa and Rose were curled under the bedding facing one another, fast asleep. Rose's hand was protectively resting on Lissa's shoulder and a shared serene look dawned both their faces. Lying there beside each other with their hair splayed out on their individual pillows they looked like night and day. A true yin and yang duality. It was incredible how two contrary forces could be perfectly complementary, interconnected, and interdependent of each other at the same time. Witnessing them in that poised state, I could see the emptiness one of them would feel without the other and seeing them pieced back together somehow made the world feel more complete.

To avoid disturbing their small moment of peace, I quietly closed the door and made my way over to Eva's as I tossed the ring up in my hand. After a lot of convincing—well, more like groveling—she finally conceded to teach me how to put charms into silver trinkets. We made one for Rose that helped her continue to keep the dark spirits at bay and another for Lissa to help her with the bond until she could learn the control that Rose had conditioned over the years.

As Rose twirled the ring on her finger beside Lissa, I was reminded that its use wasn't intended to keep her out of the bond, since she insisted that she still wanted to be able to be notified when Lissa was in danger. I wondered if she was tempted to use the bond now to gauge Lissa's emotions, but with one look at her aura, I could see that she would rather wait it out and let Lissa come to her than invade her thoughts.

"It's not that," Lissa finally started. "I just—what if I say the wrong thing? Act the wrong way? There's so much riding on this and I don't want to screw it up." The Princess began gnawing on one of her worn down nails, a habit she had picked up since her restoration, and Rose reached up to gently pull her hand back down.

"Don't worry about that, Liss. The truth is all that matters. How you act is completely irrelevant," Rose soothed.

"What if I have an...episode," the word came off her tongue heavily as if it were difficult to swallow.

"Lissa we don't have to do this yet," Eva moved to sit at eye level on the bench Rose was previously perched. "If you need more time we can wait."

"No," Lissa's tone sharpened. "Dimitri has been there too long already. We can't wait anymore."

I could see Rose visibly tense and relax at the same time as she and Eva shared a concerned look. She was glad to hear her friend as passionate about Dimitri's release as she was, but was worried it might be pushing her to do something she wasn't ready for.

Over the last couple of weeks, I had been trying my best to get in touch with Dimitri when I could, but it proved more difficult than expected. He wasn't getting much sleep where they were holding him and when he did it was only in short increments before he was jolted awake—making it near impossible to hold a Spirit dream. Whenever I did make contact, I'd relay everything I could to Rose. To avoid putting too much pressure on Lissa, she tried to hide her concern for Dimitri as best as she could, but Lissa had seemed to develop an unrelenting drive to get him out all on her own.

As the anxiety in the room started to rise, I decided it was finally time to speak up. "The only the thing Tatiana will care about is that you are safe and willing to help bring these menaces to our society to justice," I spoke seriously, draining all nonchalance and flippancy from my tone as I moved towards them. "If you aren't ready to talk about them to her yet, we will all stand by you and support your decision. But don't let her title or hierarchy deter you. She cares about you too," I placed a hand on her shoulder, her Spirit magic lighting up in her aura at the recognition of mine. "Just think of her as a mentor who's willing to hear you out rather than your Queen."

Lissa let out another breath, but it was more collected and filled with less of that earlier agitated shudder. "Thanks, Adrian," she smiled. Rose shot me a grateful glance as Lissa's tension began to melt away giving me a sense of accomplishment.

"Well, now that I've served my purpose for the day, if you ladies will excuse me I have a serpent to meet." Rose's expression went rigid again at the mention of her father. _Her father_ —that phrase was still taking some getting used to. Although I can't say I was too surprised that someone like Abe turned out to be her dad. He was cunning, mischievous, and feared—all things that Rose had naturally picked up from him. "Care to join me, Rose?"

She sat there for a moment, letting my question hang aimlessly in the air. For the most part, Eddie and I had been conducting the majority of meetings with Abe to discuss how to approach Tatiana with our evidence. At first, Rose would make up any excuse not to join them, mainly that Lissa needed her, but now I could tell the idea of being left out of any part of the planning was starting to get to her. She was teetering between her desire to be in the know and her uneasiness around Abe. Surprisingly, it was Lissa who ultimately swayed her decision.

"You should go, Rose," her voice pulled Rose's attention up and they momentarily stared at each other, sharing another silent conversation before Lissa spoke out again. "I promise. I'll be fine. Now scoot."

She finally relented and followed me out of Lissa's suite over to Abe's office. Her uncharacteristic quietness as we walked unnerved me and I felt the urge to ease some of the awkwardness in the air. "Worried about growing scales?"

"Huh?" My words seemed to pull her out of whatever daydream she was caught up in.

"Scales," I continued. "I know you two already look alike, but don't worry. The serpent characteristics aren't likely to rub off on you...yet," I wiggled my eyebrows and she stuck her tongue out at me. "Uh-oh. I might have spoken too soon. With gestures like that, you'll be a snake in no time, Little Dhampir."

"You know, I hear most people find your constant joking intolerable but I can't imagine why," she sarcastically retorted.

"That's because most people don't have your glorious sense of humor. Be damned with them!" I dramatically raised my hand in the air as if to curse their imaginary names and Rose let out a full-hearted laugh. The sound was like a symphonic tune as it rang through the hall. "There she is," I smiled at her and nudged my knuckles against her chin. "Missed ya kid."

She gave me a small smirk in return and confidently pushed through the door to Abe's office, her earlier apprehension completely gone.

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Disparate Youth by Santigold, Weight of Love by The Black Keys, House of Circles by Mr. Gnome**

"Look alive folks, the party has arrived." All heads turned to Adrian and me as I made my grand entrance, earning me a gin from Eddie and Christian. Pavel stood in the corner with his arms crossed, looking as serious as ever. "At ease soldier," I flashed him a mock-salute and made my way to one of the open chairs.

"Glad you could join us, Rose," Abe genially responded. "How is the Princess fairing today? Well, I hope."

"Yeah, Lissa's good," I made a point to use her less formal name as a subtle reminder that Lissa didn't like to be put on airs. "A little nervous, but good."

"Ah, well that's to be expected," Abe concurred. "I'm sure the support of her friends will help boost her confidence tomorrow though."

"Yeah, well if she can handle a battle against her best friend to the death, a stake through the heart, and god knows what else an adolescent girl has to go through during this time, I'm sure a meeting with our _exalted_ Queen should be a piece of cake." I plopped my legs up on the desk and leaned back in my seat. I hadn't even realized my mother was in the room until a disapproving grumble echoed over to me.

Abe, on the other hand, didn't seem to be bothered in the least by my position and maintained his amused expression. "Good to hear."

"You guys are just in time," Eddie jumped in. "We were about to go over strategy."

I straightened up a little and let them fill me in. Most of it I was already privy to, I had gone back and forth between Eddie and Adrian after their meetings to get the CliffsNotes version so I could be somewhat prepared. Abe and Lissa would do most of the talking and I was to—by stern indication from my mother—keep my mouth shut. I didn't bother arguing with that request. It wasn't really a secret that the Queen wasn't my biggest fan, especially after telling me to basically keep my grimy Dhampir hands off her great-nephew, but if what Dimitri had told Adrian was true and the Councils were truly considering me a suspect in Lissa's disappearance, it was understandable that I needed to remain under the radar and away from scrutiny. If I caused a scene before we could give her all of our proof, well then let's just say we'd be up shit creek.

We also couldn't just walk in there with an enormous posse or with our true identities revealed so Adrian and Eva would be providing us with Spirit charms to disguise us until we were inside. However, Abe announced something that appeared to be new to someone other than just me.

"What do you mean we aren't going to tell her about the Order," Christian spoke up.

"We will tell her the necessities that led to the unfolding events, but that's it."

"She needs to know about them. That they are hunting Spirit users. How else will we be able to get Lissa the protection she needs?" Lissa had finally opened up to us about the Order. Apparently, they were this ancient, evil group that had been after Spirit users for years. Not only had they discovered that some of their abilities could cross over into their Strigoi state, but they knew about their ability to restore those back to their original state. This would mean others like Lissa divulging information about their plans to the very people that could bring them down. Eva seemed particularly disturbed about this information, but only really talked to Lissa about why. I was dying to get to the bottom of her secrets, but right now there were more pressing matters at hand.

Although Christian's argument was sound, Abe wasn't budging. "I agree this information is vital, but I have other people to consider. That still rely on protection and secrecy. Until we have more information and can gauge how the Queen will handle it, I cannot put them in danger." Great. More secrets. I understood needing to keep certain things under wraps for the sake of others, I had kept information about Lissa's Spirit hidden for years for her protection. But when I finally found those I could trust with the information and help her, I came clean. I wasn't sure if Abe keeping these secrets from us meant I should be irritated that he didn't trust us, or if it was admirable that he refused to back down for the sake of those he was protecting.

"Also, Eva will be staying behind," he added. "I understand her abilities could be of use in this situation, but she will stay back with my men in case things don't go well and we are taken into custody."

"My Aunt would never do that," Adrian defended.

Abe studied him for a moment before calmly responding. "Although that might be true, it's a risk I refuse to take."

I had to admit, it was kind of endearing seeing him be protective over Eva, no matter what the unknown reasoning behind it was. As I watched his and Adrian's interaction, I wondered if he would've been just as protective over me growing up. Even though I could handle myself, it would have been nice to know I had someone in my corner backing me up.

After another few minutes of discussing tomorrow's plan, we decided it was time for lunch. And by "we" I mean me and Eddie's roaring stomachs. We began scattering to leave when Abe said, "Rose, would you mind terribly hanging back for a moment. I won't keep you long."

I shot Eddie a curious look who was positioned behind Abe, and he just shrugged in response. "Uh, yeah. Sure," I so eloquently responded.

Eddie and Christian gave me reassuring looks as they walked by and I moved back to the seat I had been occupying before. Once the door shut behind me Abe finally moved his gaze away from it to me. He looked slightly unsure of how to start, so I decided to open up instead.

"You're not going to give me some father/daughter pep talk or some weird family words of wisdom now, are you?"

Abe let out an amused grunt and moved to sit beside me instead of across from his desk. "As lovely as that sounds, I don't think that's really our style, little girl."

I held back my relieved sigh. "Couldn't agree more, old man."

"I think your friend's faith in his family is honorable," he started. "But I have known the Queen for quite some time and anticipate there is a chance that things may not end well for us." His face turned more serious as he spoke and I couldn't help but shift into a similar state.

"It shouldn't come as a surprise that if things go South, I don't plan on sticking around. And I don't plan on letting them take you either."

"I won't leave Lissa," I deadpanned automatically. "I can't let them turn her into some lab rat experiment to analyze." I knew the risks we would face if we failed. Not only would Dimitri continue to be locked up, but they could take Lissa away as well. That's to say if they even believed that we had restored her from her Strigoi state.

"Of course not. I wouldn't expect anything less after everything you've done to protect her. What I mean is that I have what you could call...a failsafe set in place to get us and anyone else who chooses to come with us out." I nodded along as he spoke, gratitude slowly building for his ability to think three steps ahead when we were all still focused on the now. "And this includes Belikov."

My eyes shot to his, the shock clear as day written all over me. "You'd...you'd really do that? Break him out of the Royal Court jail, I mean."

"I know how important he is to you and how much he has done to ensure not only your safety, but your happiness as well. He owes me a lot, but I owe him just as well for watching over you when you needed it most."

I didn't know what to say to that. I was dumbfounded by his selfless words. I guess 'thank you' would have been the appropriate thing to say, but instead, I said, "How do you know you can even pull that off? Seems like a tall order, even for you."

His dark eyes gleamed as he stared into mine. "Rose, you should know by now if there is something I want, I get it." He had a way of making something that would normally appear cocky or overconfident to sound undeniably absolute, and in that moment I understood how he could elicit fear into those he associated with. "I have heard the same can be said about you as well."

A cheeky smile inched up my face at that comment. He wasn't far off.

After a few moments, I finally mustered out, "Thank you." I could tell by his growing grin that he understood it held more meaning than just appreciation for the recognition of my exceeding ability to get in and out of trouble, and that I was truly grateful for everything he would do for me.

"Well then, now that that's settled you can head off to lunch. I've heard my kitchen staff has been working overtime to try and keep up with your voracious appetite."

"Hey, I gotta make sure they're earning their salary," I countered as I stood to leave. "You wouldn't want to be paying them for nothing, now would you?"

"Ha! Point taken. In that case, have them fix up a something extra for the each of you. Keep them on their toes," he flashed me a sly wink that rivaled Adrian's and I let out a small laugh as I headed out of the room.

\

"This shirt is itchy," Christian's whining rose above the clicking on the marble floor from the bustle of people.

"Oh calm down Sparky. You're just mad it's not black." He let out a low grown at my teasing as he pulled at the collar of his red button-up.

"All I'm saying is you could have at least let me pick out my own clothes."

"Absolutely not," Adrian interjected as he turned a corner past one of the court cafes. "If people are expected to believe you are associated with me, you have to look the part."

A small group of people parted for us as we made our way through a dimly lit courtyard and into another common area. "In other words, your wardrobe would be detrimental to Adrian's delicate reputation," I jibed.

"And how can we be so sure those charms are actually working," Christian lowered his voice. "I can still see your judgy face over there."

I leaned across Lissa who was quietly positioned between us to meet his sneer. "Have a little faith won't you? You just can't tell because you know about them, but others will—"

As if summoned by some higher power, a group of four Guardians appeared right in front of us. Our breaths simultaneously froze and I tried my best to hold my composure and not do anything conspicuous. The four of them stopped walking as others passed us by, only adding to my nervousness. I balanced on the tips of my toes, ready to launch into action when one of the Guardians politely lowered his head in recognition. "Lord Ivashkov," he greeted.

Adrian casually waved in response and the group turned back to their own conversation and walked away from us. Once they were out of earshot Christian let out a heavy sigh. "Jesus Christ I thought we were toast."

"See. Have a little faith," I winked as we doubled our pace.

The Royal Court was bigger than I remembered, but maybe that's because last time we weren't breaking about 10 laws as we leisurely walked around. Abe strolled up front beside Adrian with Pavel and Eddie flanking him to appear like they were just another pair of his many Guardians. My mother stayed behind with Eva since it was well known that she was sanctioned to Lord Szelzky and our disguises didn't necessarily warrant another Guardian watching over Chris and whoever Lissa currently looked like. Adrian had told his Aunt that he was passing through and wanted to meet her for tea. She happily accepted, giving us the perfect opportunity to put our plan into motion.

We figured no one would really care, or notice, that Christian was with Adrian so we decided on just Lissa and me wearing the charms. It was strange walking around as someone else without being able to tell who. I was used to heads turning in my direction; whether it be from the unwarranted attention of men ogling my curves, or Dhampirs curious by my premature molnija and zvezda marks. But now, I completely blended into the crowd. It was kind of therapeutic actually.

We rounded another corner, this one more familiar. I could tell we were getting close and could sense the same in Lissa. Her pulse began to increase and her footsteps became heavier. I was about to say something to comfort her but was surprised by her next movement instead. Keeping her face forward, she reached her hand over to Christian and entwined her fingers with his.

His face immediately darted to her, his crystal blue eyes lighting up with bewilderment. He squeezed her hand a little tighter causing her gaze to pull to his. Chris gave her a small, reassuring smile and said, "You can do this. I believe in you."

She returned his smile with one of her own, one that I hadn't seen in ages. His face lit up with adoration and love and as much shit as I loved to give him, I was truly happy to see them coming closer together—even in small increments such as these. I turned around to see the same doors I had been escorted to last time I was summoned to visit with the Queen and I dashed away that sentimentality to make room for seriousness.

"We're here," I whispered, pulling Chris and Lissa out of the moment they were having.

"Ah, Roberts, Chenowitz it's good to see you two. I believe my Aunt is expecting me," Adrian exaggeratedly spoke out. The two Guardians remained impassive and gave him a simple nod as they opened the doors for us.

"Bearns, won't you be a sport and keep these two men company while we have our chat," Abe added to Eddie. Part of his "failsafe" plan was to have someone directly outside the room to help get us a jump start over anyone standing watch. Eddie mimicked the same nod the Guardians presented to Adrian and took up post against the wall.

I gave him a subtle look to wish him luck as the rest of us filed into the room. It was slightly different than the last time I was there; I guess the Queen had decided to do some redecorating. Pavel did what he did best and blended into one of the cream-colored walls while Chris, Abe, and Adrian gathered around one of the ornate coffee tables. Lissa and I hung back, trying to keep our distance until the opportune moment.

The three Moroi men struck up a casual conversation to keep up the facade as we waited for the Queen to arrive. My anxiety rose with every second that passed and I hadn't even realized I had been nervously fidgeting with the hem of my skirt until Lissa gently pulled my hand away. I turned to give her a flimsy apology for my uneasiness but was stunned again when I saw her face.

Lissa had been to several meetings with Tatiana in the past, each time performing gracefully and tactfully, but things were different now with everything she had gone through. Where perfection had once reigned were now cracks and divots filled with horrible memories and transgressions of her time as Strigoi. I wouldn't let her know it, but I was afraid of how she might react to any disparaging questions. However, looking at her now I could see that same refinement and confidence that she had once excelled in. She beamed with elegance, all remnants of that former monster completely gone.

I just hoped the Queen would see it too.

"Eva was right," I whispered. She gave me a curious look before I continued. "That blouse really does bring out your eyes." She rolled those jade-green orbs at me with an amused smile pulling at the corner of her mouth and turned to face the group again. Not more than a minute later, Tatiana finally walked in. The men immediately rose from their seats and Adrian walked around the table to greet her.

"Ah, Adrian. I'm so glad you made the time to visit," she embraced him lovingly. It was strange to see her regard someone with anything other than professionalism, or in my case, disdain.

"Aunt Tatiana, it's wonderful to see you." Adrian returned her lighthearted tone and it suddenly dawned on me how special their relationship really was. _Maybe she wasn't the cold-hearted bitch I'd always thought her to be._

"You didn't mention you were bringing... _guests_." She looked over Christian disapprovingly. _Nope, still a bitch._ "And Mr. Mazur, I'm surprised to see you here as well." Adrian stepped back slightly to make way for Abe's introduction.

"Tatiana," Abe reached out to take her hand. "You look radiant, as always," he added as he planted a kiss on her ring. Man, he was laying it on thick. She smiled as a couple more flirtatious phrases snaked out of his mouth, causing my stomach to churn. I could see Adrian's mutual feelings of their interaction as his face contorted into mild disgust. After what could only be described as a giggle flew out of her, Adrian finally intercepted.

"Well I hate to break this happy reunion up, but I'm afraid this wasn't purely a social call." Abe stepped back again, letting Adrian take the reins. "We have some serious business to discuss with you."

"Is that so," Tatiana replied. "And what kind of _business_ are you referring to." She looked accusingly at Abe as she spoke, no doubt worried that he had gotten her beloved nephew into some kind of trouble.

"I can assure you, it's not what you're thinking," Adrian added. "However, it would be beneficial to have Guardian Croft here."

Her face turned deadly serious and her familial tone completely vanished at the mention of the Head Guardian at court. "Adrian you tell me what is going on right this instant." Tatiana's voice was quiet, but her stern words made Adrian visibly tense.

He looked over to me and Lissa causing her gaze to follow. It was as if she was noticing for the first time that we were even there. Her eyes crinkled as she examined us curiously, like we were a blur that she was trying to align. "Who are you," she quietly asked. My eyes glanced at the two Guardians behind her as their hands ghosted over their stakes in the tiniest movement. They could sense something wasn't right and my throat tightened in anticipation. I moved my sights back to Adrian with a questioning look and he nodded in encouragement.

This was it. The moment we would all go down or succeed. It was a tad ridiculous that all of our fates were dependent on this one, capricious woman standing before me, but I guess that's how things were. What I wouldn't give to be facing a Strigoi instead.

I turned to Lissa and cracked open the door to the bond.

 _Are you ready?_ My voice echoed in our heads.

 _Yes. I'm ready._ Her sweet response still held that confidence I had witnessed moments before.

 _Alright. Here goes nothing._ At that, we both reached for the charmed silver lockets and pulled them from our necks. I could feel the tiniest bit of magic trickle down my face, like the spray from a warm shower and I let out a calming breath as the spell broke. A sharp gasp filled the air and the Queen's Guardians immediately appeared by her side ready to strike. Pavel inched closer to us in a protective stance but tried his best not to appear threatening.

Tatiana placed her hand on one of the Guardian's shoulders and pulled him slightly away from her so she could get a better look at us. Her eyes were wide with shock and her mouth trembled as she tried to make sense of the situation. "Vasilisa," she finally murmured. "Is that really you?"

Lissa dropped her head and curtsied in acknowledgment. "Queen Tatiana."

The Queen slowly moved forward, as if she were afraid of spooking a lingering apparition. Lissa kept her head down respectfully as the Queen approached her. When she was about a foot from us, Tatiana reached out her hand and placed it under Lissa's chin to bring her gaze up. She stared into her eyes for a prolonged moment and said, "It's you. It's really you."

"Yes, your majesty," Lissa quietly replied. The Queen reached her other arm forward and wrapped it around Lissa's shoulder. Her uncharacteristically quick movements caused an irrational fear to emerge that she might try and hurt Lissa and I shifted to protectively yank her away, but my fears were squashed when she pulled Lissa into a tight hug instead.

Lissa's hands hovered over the Queen's back as she momentarily looked to Adrian, unsure how to react. He, again, gave an encouraging nod and she carefully rested her hands on Tatiana, returning the embrace. She slowly relaxed and let her eyes close as she welcomed the Queen's kindness. We all stood there silently, tentatively waiting for some kind of eruption that was bound to occur, but it never came.

After Lissa's family was killed in the crash, Queen Tatiana put in extra effort to help her adjust to her new position and made sure she was transitioning as easily as could be managed. I always thought it was a sense of duty since Lissa was the last of the Dragomir line. A responsibility to make sure the 12 Moroi Royal families stayed intact. However, watching her now I began to realize there may have been deeper reasons for her past benevolence.

When Tatiana finally pulled away, I could see a glistening tear in her eye. I wondered briefly if it was real. Did she truly care that much about Lissa? I looked around the room, realizing there was no one here for her to put a show on for and ate my words before they could manifest. _Well, I'll be damned. I guess she really does have feelings._

Seeing her react this way softened my perception of her. Although our relationship was rocky and I knew she could give less than two shits about me, I was grateful for her affection for Lissa. She didn't have many people left in her life and the Queen's support of her would go a long way.

"Where have you been? I was told you were...taken," Tatiana put delicately.

"Aunt Tatiana, maybe you should sit," Adrian offered. "There are many things we need to tell you...and Guardian Croft."

She looked over to one of her guards who was trying his best to hide the shock from his expression as he took in the unfolding events. "Guardian Volkov," he snapped to attention as the Queen addressed him. "Would you please summon Guardian Croft to me immediately."

"Yes, your majesty," he respectfully bowed and headed out where they had entered from. The Queen shuffled Lissa over to the seated area and began to ask her if there was anything she needed. Not long after, a seasoned Guardian burst into the room with Volkov. His eyes immediately landed on the Queen and when satisfied that she was well, they darted to each of the other members in the room. He held his stern mask in place as he looked over each of my friends, inspecting their level of threat no doubt, until his sights fell on me.

Although we hadn't met yet, his eyes lit up with recognition and his hand dropped to his stake. The mood immediately shifted again and I instinctively adjusted my stance to a defensive position at his reaction. Time seemed to stop, if only for an instant. I knew that look he wore and could discern what he was about to do. I shot Abe a quick glance and could see the same recognition of the situation in him. Our dark eyes narrowed at one another in silent agreeance. I wouldn't go willingly or quietly, and neither would he.

The others looked around confused as the tension in the room quadrupled. But before any of them could ask a clarifying question, Croft shouted, "Guards, arrest that girl!"

* * *

 **A/N** : For those of you in the U.S. I hope you had a Happy 4th of July! For everyone else, hope you had a great Wednesday ;P. Thanks for reading!


	33. Chapter 33

**Ch. 33**

 **RPOV**

 **Song: Family and Genus by Shakey Graves**

"Guards, arrest that girl!"

His booming voice reverberated off the walls, pulling everyone into action. The two Guardians behind him immediately flanked his sides, one pulling out a silver pair of handcuffs that felt like a noose tightening around my neck. Pavel moved directly next to me to take up a similar defensive stance. "Guardian, move aside. This is Royal Court business," Croft directed.

"I do not work for the Royal Court," Pavel's thick accent rang. "I answer to Mr. Mazur, and Mr. Mazur alone."

Admittedly, his reaction completely threw me off. He was always so poised and controlled, a true Guardian. Yeah, I was training to be the same thing and had no problem standing up to authority in the past, but this was Pavel. He was nothing like me and seeing him stand between me and his colleagues— superiors even—was something I wouldn't have expected.

If Guardian Croft was irritated or impressed by Pavel's loyalty, his immovable expression didn't show it. Instead, without taking his eyes off of us he attempted to alleviate the situation again. "Well then, Mr. Mazur I suggest you advise your Guardian to stand down or he will be taken into custody for Obstruction of Justice." The Guardians behind Croft leaned forward onto the balls of their feet, the desire to take action coursing through them, but they waited on an order from their commander all the same.

Abe crossed the room to stand beside Pavel and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "I understand Guardian Croft," he politely replied to the request. His eyes brushed to me, glistening with a knowing look and I held my breath as I waited for what would come next. After a short pause, he dropped his arm and turned to face the rest of the room, putting me directly behind his back. "Unfortunately, I can't do that."

Slight confusion crossed the Guardians' features. They were trained to protect the Moroi with their lives, and now there was one standing in their way of upholding what they believed to be their duty. "This young woman has done nothing wrong and I won't allow you to arrest her under false pretenses," Abe retorted. That was the first time Abe had referred to me as someone more mature than an adolescent, granted he hadn't really treated me like the "little girl" he had so cleverly coined me as, but hearing him say that to Hans made me feel a few inches taller.

Guardian Croft opened his mouth again to speak, but before anything could come out he was interrupted by another voice. "Neither will I," Christian bellowed as he moved to stand beside Abe.

I was about to shove him away and tell him to stop being a colossal idiot but was distracted by another supporting shout. "Or I," Adrian gallantly added as he made his way over to us.

This was not part of the plan. We were all supposed to remain calm and help Lissa. I was not supposed to be bothered with as long as the Queen was able to hear her out. I saw my shock mirrored in Guardian Croft when I looked over Abe's shoulder to see him peering confusedly at my barricade of Moroi. Not only was he faced with the difficult decision to intercept one Moroi, but now that two Royals were also involved—including the Queen's favorite nephew—a million scenarios were running through his head.

I looked to each of the men standing before me with awe. Christian, whose already fragile reputation was on the line was risking it being completely disintegrated by allying with an accused traitor; Adrian, who was defying his own family—not to mention our entire society's ruler—to keep me out of harm's way; and Abe, my father, willing to risk everything he'd worked for—his reputation, his business, and his ability to protect those he had been keeping secret from us—all for a daughter he had only recently met. My breathing felt tight and deep at the same time, rising salt water pricked my eyes, and my throat shrunk as I tried to swallow those feelings down. My whole life I struggled to push passed this empty feeling that was buried inside me. Lissa had helped alleviate it for a time but it was always still there, hidden in the shadows behind a mother's embrace or echoes from a father's encouragement. That familial sense that my life had always lacked. But as my friends stood by me, putting _me_ first, I felt like I was finally a part of a true, loving family. Something I thought I would never be part of.

"Queen Tatiana, they're right," Lissa's sweet voice carried across the room, helping to placate my surging emotions. "Please, just hear us out before you make any decisions." A true diplomatic response. I could feel through the bond that Lissa was terrified for me and wanted to leap up and join the others, but that also meant she would lose the opportunity to accomplish what we came here to do. She was playing it smart and I was just as grateful to her for it.

"The Princess has had quite the journey and you all would benefit from listening to her," Abe piled on. "If you still feel the need to place Miss Hathaway in custody after you've heard what the Princess has to say, well then, we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it."

Tatiana looked between them as she mulled over their responses, then gave Hans a relenting nod as she said, "Guardian Croft, please tell your men to stand down." The Guardians stepped back in unison, signaling they were no longer on the offense and the others made their way back to their original posts, all the while glancing back and forth between the Guardians and each other.

I maintained my position on the other side of the room but held Lissa's gaze to let her know I wasn't going anywhere, no matter what. A flicker of worriment crossed her features as she prepared to tell the Queen the events from the past couple of months, so I opened the bond the tiniest bit once again so she could feel my encouragement and confidence in her. She took in a deep breath and nodded to me in gratitude, then turned her focus back to our Queen.

She started from the very beginning with the attack on the campus and how the fear of her situation caused the bond to open. The Queen knew about our connection after the events from Victor Dashkov and nodded along as Lissa explained the intricacies. I could see the smallest tells slip out as she spoke the word Strigoi: a flick of her nail, her tongue pricking the edge of her fangs, a tiny shiver as she held in the most gruesome parts of her memories—all thankfully going unnoticed by the enraptured Queen.

Soon enough she made it through to the more pressing information that we needed both Councils' help with. "A group of Strigoi called the Order are working together to conquer the Moroi." I could see Tatiana go rigid as Lissa continued. "They are ancient and organized. The Strigoi that awa—turned me," she stuttered. Adrian shot me a nervous look that I tried my best to avoid in an attempt to deter any attention to her slip up. "He was working with them and quickly recruited me. Their plan was to infiltrate some of the higher ranking Moroi and were beginning the process through specific groups. The one that I was charged with was the Mână."

"The social club," Guardian Croft asked. "I thought you said they were after high-ranking Moroi. The Mână don't really associate passed grade school or university." I was shocked Hans even knew who the Mână were, but I guess you didn't become Head Guardian with naivety.

"Well with some of the recent discord due to conflicting views on the use of offensive magic, a lot of these groups have started convening again," Abe interjected. "Several of them have hosted meetings in some of my establishments and I have detailed records of these dates." Abe opened the briefcase he had brought in and handed them a couple of documents as Lissa continued.

"Within a few short weeks, I had already gotten several members to agree to the Order's terms. In exchange for information centering around court and their undeniable compliance, they would be granted positions of power and allies once they were turned."

"Can you provide proof of these agreements? Or at least give us a list of names that could help us start an investigation," Hans asked hopefully.

"I can do you one better." Abe radiated with self-assurance as he pulled out another document from his briefcase. I recognized it immediately. "Miss Hathaway recovered this from one of their meeting locations. A contract of terms along with signatures from those who agreed to them." Hans and Tatiana's eyes briefly flicked to me before taking the contract from Abe's grasp. Their expressions widened as they looked over the list of familiar names. I stole a moment to glance over at the Guardians behind them and through their stern masks, I could see an underlying look of disgust adorn their features.

I undoubtedly related to how they felt. These were people Guardians had trained their entire lives to protect, had given up everything for, risked their lives countless times and lost friends and even family for. And how were they repaying us? With deceit and betrayal in its highest form. It was beyond sickening.

"All of these Moroi agreed to work with the Strigoi against us," Hans asked as calmly as he could, but we could all see his simmering anger threatening to rear its head.

"I can validate that I personally met with the majority of those who signed that document and any others were obtained by Moroi that they associated with," Lissa deduced. "Rose and the others can also vouch that they were at an event hosted by a particular Mână faction where Strigoi were present."

Tatiana's face shot to Adrian with a combination of anger and worriment crossing her expression. "Is that true, Hathaway," Hans addressed me. "You saw these people associate with Strigoi?"

"Yes," my voice was slightly hoarse from the lack of use and I cleared my throat before continuing on. "We attended undercover in another attempt to retrieve Lissa, but were unsuccessful," I shuddered thinking about the events on the night of the ball. "We saw one of them drain a Dhampir man and transform into Strigoi in front of the entire assembly. We would have stayed and fought, but we were severely outnumbered and had to get Christian and Adrian out of there before anything could happen to them too."

The Queen turned her focus from him to me at the mention of Adrian's name, and I thought I saw a hint of gratitude behind those cold eyes. I squashed the notion when her steely gaze moved directly back to the documents in her hand.

"You said in exchange for information," Tatiana finally spoke out as she continued looking over the names. "What kind of information?"

Abe handed Lissa the map Eva and I had discovered in her parents' office and she laid it flat across the coffee table's surface with shaky hands. "They would provide intel about the Royal Court, informing the Strigoi on weak points around the community that could be infiltrated if an attack was to occur. The plan was for them to turn when they were already inside the wards on a designated day of attack to increase their numbers and aid them from the inside."

"These breaches would be detrimental to our security. When is the attack," Hans hastily asked as he looked over the map.

"There wasn't a set date yet. I was scheduled to meet with a new contact within the Order, but my rescue came first. It was most likely delayed since most of my...associates that dealt with the Moroi were killed that day as well." Lissa paused for a moment as visions of blood and gore then light and resolution flashed through her memory. When those unsettling visions stilled, she slowly turned her head to me.

"The day that Rose saved me," her voice was quiet and filled with reverence. "She fought and fought. She didn't stop until I was restored. Even after I—" she paused, her gaze momentarily shifting to her lap. "After I proved myself to be anything but worthy." Christian walked up behind her and placed a loving hand on her shoulder, pushing her forward. "There were so many times where she could have given up on me. Where she _should_ have given up on me...but she never did. She took down countless Strigoi to get to me and saved me from myself. I was my own worst enemy and somehow she fought through that and brought me back." A small tear fell down her face as she spoke. "Without Rose, I wouldn't be here. I owe her more than my life. I owe her everything."

I wanted to tell her she would never owe me anything. That it was my duty to protect her and going after her was part of that promise I'd made. But that wasn't quite true. What I did wasn't because she was my charge, or even because she was the last Dragomir. It was because she was my family. I loved her, and every part of my being propelled me to protect those that I loved—even more than my sense of duty. It was dangerous to think that way, especially since I had others that I loved now that were not my charge, but that's just who I was. Who I will always be.

I faintly heard someone ask how exactly we saved her and Adrian took the opportunity to explain how they discovered the process through the use of Spirit magic, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Lissa. I could feel warmth surging through the bond as she looked into my eyes and knew that she understood everything I was feeling. I raised my hand to my cheek to find it wet with tears and quickly wiped them away, slightly embarrassed for getting emotional with an entire room of people staring at me. I did my best to cover it up with a facetious smile and sent Lissa a message through the bond.

 _Well, you saved my life, Princess. It's only fair I returned the favor._ I gave her a small wink, causing her to giggle.

When Adrian finally finished laying down the basics of Lissa's restoration, the room went completely silent. Everyone's eyes were glued to the Queen as we waited for her to speak. Her focus moved achingly slow from Adrian's face to mine. Her expression was frustratingly unreadable. I had no idea if she believed a word we said, or if she was ready to throw us all into Tarasov for being raving lunatics.

"Guardian Croft." His already pristine posture somehow managed to straighten up even more as the Queen addressed him. She kept her face aligned with me and I met her unyielding gaze with one of my own. I wouldn't say I was being defiant, necessarily—although my mother would probably suggest otherwise—but if she was going to summon her guards to arrest me then I wasn't going to let her think she had broken down my resolve. The air went stale and I could feel Lissa's nervousness start to rise through the bond, but I resisted the urge to settle her and maintained the little standoff I had found myself in. I imagined being transported into one of Dimitri's western stories. Two of us stood at opposite ends of a dirt road, ready to face our opponent head-on. Except here, only one of us had a weapon—and unfortunately, it wasn't me.

She stared at me for one last lingering moment before finally tearing her gaze away and moving it down to the map that still rested on the table. "Take this with you and make sure all of these points are secured. Round up the Court Guardians and seize all of the men and women on this list. Do so as quickly and quietly as possible. We don't want word to get out about this. It could cause unnecessary panic and some of these Moroi may use the opportunity to flee."

I would have walked over and smacked Christian's gaping mouth shut if I wasn't so busy trying to gather my own jaw up off the floor as well. Guardian Croft immediately went into action, calling out orders to his men and into a walkie-talkie that he pulled from his belt. He gathered the documents he needed and headed out of the room as he began listing off names to whoever was on the other side of his channel.

"You...you believe us?" It fell out of my open mouth before I could catch it. The Queen looked over to me again, wearing that same serious expression that always made me slightly uncomfortable.

"Yes," she voiced simply.

I was speechless. Dumbfounded even. Could this really be happening?

"Don't look so shocked Miss Hathaway. It doesn't suit you," her scolding tone reeled me back in.

"I'm sorry your majesty. I'm just surprised that…" I tried to come up with the politest way of saying it.

"That a salty, old hag like me would believe something as fantastical as this?" She stole the thoughts right out of my head, but I held my tongue all the same. "I have complete trust in Vasilisa and Adrian and am beyond grateful that she had the courage to come forward, despite the scrutiny that might await her." Her countenance softened as she turned to each of them and I was surprised when she turned to me again, that compassionate expression stayed the same. "However, even if I didn't have absolute faith in them I still would have believed in your innocence."

"You would," I asked speculatively.

"Yes. The evidence provided by Vasilisa and Mr. Mazur undoubtedly clears any blame placed on you, but what ultimately convinced me was the reaction from your friends when they thought you were in danger." My eyes flicked to Christian and I could see him shift nervously behind the sofa. "Their compassion and willingness to stand by you, despite the severe charges against you and the consequences they would face for aligning with you, showed me the truth. For Mr. Mazur and two young Royals to confidently stand by someone like you," _meaning a lowly Dhampir girl_ , "well, let's just say you must have done something remarkable to earn loyalty like that."

If at all possible, I was even more taken aback now than I was before. Moments ago, she had been ready to send me to a jail cell, and now she was...praising me?

"I want to thank you for bringing the Princess back. You went above and beyond your duty to her and I am immensely grateful for it. I will have to speak with the Guardian Council first, but I believe you deserve special recognition for all your efforts to protect your charge."

At that last sentence, I finally found my voice again. "She's not just my charge, she's my best friend. I would do anything for her," I looked to Lissa as we shared a sentimental smile. "Besides, I couldn't have done it without help."

"Modesty," Tatiana chuckled. "I must say I'm not sure if that suits you either, but it is welcomed all the same." Adrian joined in her amusement with a full-hearted laugh and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him in front of the Queen.

"Well, Tatiana I am thrilled we were able to clear this mess up. You have always been known for your humility as well as your exceptional judgment, so it should come as no surprise," Abe spoke proudly as he ran his fingertips over his bright green scarf and god help me I saw the faintest sign of a blush appear on the Queen's cheeks. "However, there is something we must ask of you. A _favor_ , more or less." Her interest was piqued, and she shifted in her seat to face him.

Adrian looked at me curiously as he tried to guess what on earth Abe would want from his great aunt, but I couldn't return his gaze. My eyes were wide and fixed on my father as he asked for the one thing that I desperately hoped he would.

 **Eva POV**

 **Song:** **Someday by Phantogram**

I had been staring at the clock for what felt like hours. Its consistent ticking was both irritating and clarifying—which only pissed me off more. I expected them to take a while, but I didn't expect it to drag on, and on, and ON!

"Ugh!" I yanked at my hair and scoffed at the clock's mocking face.

Guardian Hathaway peeked at me out of the corner of her eye, then turned her gaze back to the window. She had been standing there with her arms crossed, gazing outside since they left. How on earth she managed to stand completely still for this long was beyond me.

"It won't be long now," the same irritating words she had spoken to me over the course of being in this room.

I heard a soft pitter-patter against the window and saw that it was starting to rain. I normally welcomed the rain, it had a way of washing away all the muck in the world and leaving it feeling reborn, but now it only made me uneasy. Eventually, the soft fall turned into a full-on downpour. All you could see out the window were gray waves of mist. Guardian Hathaway still held her position though, despite her inability to see more than a couple inches away.

Another few moments went by. The deafening silence of the occupants in the room combined with the constant reminder from the clock that more time had passed was putting me on the verge of complete insanity.

"Something's wrong," I finally breathed out. "They should be back by now."

Abe's Guardian, whose name I hadn't quite caught, looked up from the paper he was casually reading. "Mr. Mazur will notify us if anything is amiss." As quickly as his focus shot up to me, it moved right back down to the crinkling distraction in his hand.

"They said an hour, two tops! What if something happened to them? What if they never even made it far enough to plead their case?"

"That's highly unlikely," Guardian Hathaway insisted. "We would have heard about a disturbance by now and besides, Ibrahim will notify us if anything is wrong. You just need to be patient."

I was starting to see why it was hard for Rose to get along with this woman. "Unless he was thrown into a cell alongside them," I murmured as I crossed my arms and plopped down onto the sofa defiantly.

Guardian Hathaway looked at me for a lingering moment with that same infuriating look that all Guardians wore before letting out a small sigh and turning to face the window again. "It won't be long," came out of her again, but this time her tone gave me the feeling that she was saying it to herself for reassurance rather than me.

Not even a minute later our worries were momentarily squashed when the front door swung open. Four drenched figures emerged into the room and my eyes darted around until they spotted her pale blonde head. Lissa's clothes were soaked and tiny droplets dripped down from the ends of her hair. If at all possible, she was somehow even more beautiful in a state of slopping mess than when she was pristine and perfect.

Her pale green eyes found mine and she rushed over to me, pulling me into a tight hug. I didn't care that her soaked clothes were seeping water into mine, I was so happy she was back I could've held onto her forever.

"We did it," she whispered into my hair before slightly pulling away to look at me. Pride lit up her dazzling features, nearly taking my breath away. She held onto my shoulders as the others walked further into the room and I couldn't help but smile under her excited gaze.

"Where is Rose," Guardian Hathaway's voice yanked my attention away from Lissa and I looked around the room, noticing for the first time that Rose wasn't there. Lissa, regretfully, dropped her hands from me and walked closer to the others.

"She's fine, don't worry. Her and Abe had something to take care of, but they will be back soon," Lissa soothed. I saw Guardian Hathaway's shoulders relax the tiniest bit as she gave Lissa an appreciative nod.

"Now that we are all back, can someone _please_ tell me everything that went on in that room? I tried to eavesdrop, but the other guards were watching me like a hawk and that door was surprisingly soundproof." Eddie walked in from the kitchen with a dish towel and rubbed it vigorously over his wet head as he spoke.

Lissa enthusiastically obliged his request and began spouting out the details of their meeting with the Queen. I went into the bathroom and grabbed a towel to drape over her. She gave me a quick, appreciative look as I placed it on her damp shoulders before continuing her rave.

When she finally finished she was practically out of breath. I couldn't believe how well she did. She had only recently been able to start talking about her time as Strigoi without it triggering darker emotions within her, which was still only surface-level details.

"You were magnificent Princess," Adrian piped in.

"She really was, wasn't she," Christian softly spoke as he looked at her adoringly. He reached for her hand, the contact from him causing her cheeks to turn pink. That strange feeling of resentment coursed through me again and I did my best to push those feelings down, trying to remind myself that he was my friend, not my opponent.

The others began asking some questions about what would happen next and what the Queen planned to do. Adrian moved over to Lissa and said, "Why don't you go get cleaned up. Chris and I can fill them in on the rest." She gave him a grateful smile and nodded before turning to leave.

I felt an unreasonable pang of disappointment ring through me as she was about to leave, but before Lissa walked out the door she turned to me again. "Eva, would you come with me," she quietly asked.

I nodded enthusiastically and we both headed down the hall to her room. It was similar to Abe's, modest yet still big, but I guessed now that the Queen knew she was back she would move into a more lavish suite. Something more fitting for a Princess. I sat on her bed and ran the events from her story through my head as she went into the bathroom to dry off and change. When she came out, she had a surprisingly serious look on her face.

"You alright," I asked as she took a seat next to me. Her brow was slightly furrowed, and her gaze was unfocused as if she was trying to pull her jumbled thoughts back together.

"The past few weeks, all I could think about is how guilty I felt for what I did." Her voice was quiet and contemplative. "About how sorry I was for the innocent lives I ruined. As I should, it's my fault that they're where they are now, despite not being able to control it." Her eyes shut as she took a pause and I knew she was struggling between batting away those images from the past and letting them come out so she could atone. Eventually, her eyes opened again and her serious demeanor returned. "But after meeting with Tatiana today, seeing her take action like that I realized something. Instead of thinking about how bad all of those things made me feel, I should have been thinking about how to right the wrong I've done." She crossed her legs under herself and turned to face me fully. "The only thing is, I have no clue where to start. All I know is I don't want to go back to the way things were and just pretend like none of this happened. I get that I need some normalcy to keep my thoughts from spiraling again, but there has to be something I can do."

Her words astonished me. She was so much stronger than I imagined a princess to be. I'm not sure if it was the fragile stereotype from all of those fairy tales I had read as a kid or being around someone more polished like Adrian, but somewhere along the way my perception of how she would act had become completely skewed. Now, after meeting her and being around her, I couldn't have been more wrong. She wasn't a frail damsel waiting for her knight in shining armor to rescue her from some tower in the sky— she _was_ the knight.

As strong as she was though, she still needed protection. There were others after Moroi like us, hoping to leverage our abilities to their demented cause. The Order had come after my family years ago, like many others within the Salvatori, and Kristof paid with his life. I knew it would kill Lissa if one of her friends fell to the same fate.

"I know of a way for you to help," it was out of my mouth before the thought even fully registered in my brain. Her eyes widened a little, signaling her interest was piqued. "Now that I've finished my deal with Abe, I'll be leaving soon. He's arranged for me to go back home to my family in about a week's time." She looked down solemnly, we both knew that day would come eventually and as much as I missed Josette, I was dreading leaving Lissa too. "Come with me."

Her eyes shot up to mine at those three words. "You mean...to the Salvatori?" Lissa's voice was quiet and uncertain as if we were just two adolescent girls sharing a secret. In an attempt to get her to open up to me in the first few days of her restoration, I had told her all about where I came from and the impact the Order had on my life. I wanted her to feel like she had someone that could relate to her, even on a basic level. She had been pushing me to tell the others about Kristof and my need to find him, but I had been hesitant to give in.

"Yes. There are others there like you and me that can teach you control. That can help you to harness your powers for good, rather than fear the implications of them." She stayed focused on me as I spoke, her eyes lighting up with eagerness. "If we find Kristof, we can get more information than any of us ever thought possible. We can put an end to the Order once and for all." I could see her wheels turning as she considered my offer. When a couple minutes went by and she had yet to speak a word I added, "Think it over for a couple of days. I don't want you to feel pressured under a countdown, but the offer stands. If you truly want to jump off the sidelines and fight back, this is the best way to do it."

I reached out to touch her hand and could feel our Spirit magic gravitating towards one another. I had felt hints of it before, it was another way to recognize others like me, but with Lissa, it was so much stronger. During the restoration, my magic burned like wildfire all around us, consuming every part of her that was dark and restoring it to her natural, beaming light. Even now, that kindled flame seemed to spark whenever our skin touched. It was if a part of my magic fueled hers, tying us together in some unspoken way.

She gave me one of her sweet smiles that could melt even the coldest of hearts and said, "Thank you, Eva. For everything. I don't know what I would do without you." And I instantly knew there was no way I could leave her behind.

 **RPOV**

 **Song: Sunshine of Your Love by Cream**

Walking down the cement-lined halls I kept wondering how this place was as cold as it was clammy. I get that it was meant to house prisoners of the highest degree, but you would think they'd at least make it slightly more tolerable for the Guardians working down there. The only thing that kept me from going on a full-on rampage was the fact that those Moroi scum that had betrayed our kind would soon adorn these cells.

They looked smaller than I imagined. I wasn't sure how Dimitri could even fit inside one. Each steel cage that we passed caused a restricting feeling in my chest. I spotted someone with their back to us crouched on a bed with long dark hair and had to blink away the visual as I reminded myself I was on the outside. _It's not you, it's not you. The Queen believed her._

A clambering noise behind us shook my careening thoughts and I made it a point to stare directly at the back of the Guardian ahead of me and avoided glancing into any of the other cells. He was a stocky built Guardian with red hair and a fair complexion. When Hans initially sent him to escort us I noticed faint remnants from a black eye and busted lip. I didn't think these guys got much action in the field anymore and sparring matches usually didn't result in facial injuries except for the occasional slip-up, so I briefly wondered who he managed to piss off.

When we rounded the last corner and approached Dimitri's cell, the Guardian's face contorted into a scowl and I no longer had to guess where he had earned those "badges of honor".

"Back for more, Conall," a groggy voice echoed across the bars. "I thought you had enough."

I hadn't heard his voice in weeks and suddenly, as I stood only a few feet away from him I felt...nervous. The redhead Guardian scoffed in response keeping his eyes fixed into the cell and I slowly made my way to stand beside him. When I laid eyes on Dimitri I had to physically stop myself from launching at the bars in a feeble attempt to pull them apart. He was perched on a tiny cot with his back to the bars. My fists clenched at my sides and my back strained from the pull in two directions.

"You have visitors," the Guardian's Scottish accent was thick and full of disdain.

"Don't you think that joke is getting a little stale? Even for someone as dimwitted as you," Dimitri added the insult under his breath.

"If that's the kind of lame humor they are babbling down here, then maybe I need step in and give some lessons on practical jokes. This guy looks like he could use some advice from the master." I placed a hand on my hip, adding to my cheeky bravado as I waited for Dimitri to react.

At first, his body went rigid at the sound of my voice, but he still didn't turn around. "Roza," he breathed out just barely above a whisper, his gaze moving to the back corner and his shoulders slightly slumping forward.

"Comrade?" I added more sincerity to my voice, hoping he would finally look at me. With that one word, his face whipped around to the front of the cell. His eyes narrowed as if he was trying to see through a mirage, but when I gave him a loving smile his expression softened and he bolted to the bars, his strong hands wrapping around the steel almost desperately. I noticed the man Dimitri had called Conall flinch at the quick movement, but I didn't dare take my eyes off of my love. There were sunken circles as dark as thunderclouds hovering under his eyes and his brown orbs flashed across me, storming with conflicting emotions. Adrian had told me he hadn't been sleeping but seeing him now he looked lost somewhere between exhaustion and frenzy.

"Is it really you," he quietly asked.

I noticed a small cut on his head that was mostly healed and reached up to run my finger across it. "Yes, it's me. I'm here." His eyes closed as my skin made contact with his and he let out a rasped sigh. My hand moved down to his cheek and one of his instantly gravitated towards mine to rest on top of it. Despite the chill in the room, Dimitri's skin still had that blissful warmth it always held. Just from that small touch, I found myself fighting back tears. I'd missed him so much and now that he was so close to me my emotions were threatening to boil over.

"Why did you come?" His eyes finally opened again, but they were pained as he spoke. "Didn't Adrian tell you it was dangerous?"

I smiled at his endearing concern and moved my palm from his face to grip his hand between the bars. "Well, that's the thing, Comrade. I can never resist the opportunity to throw myself into the middle of danger."

Dimitri let out a small huff to cover up his amusement, but the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth gave him away.

"Miss, you need to back away," Conall commanded with annoyance.

Dimitri's grip around one of the bars tightened and he practically growled back at the Guardian. I didn't want to lose this contact either, even if only for an instant, but I obliged the pushy Scott's request and took a step back.

Dimitri's death glare was fixed on Conall and followed him as he moved to step between us. That look rivaled the one he wore in battle. He was usually so poised and careful about letting his feelings manifest on his face, which made me question either the extent of his exhaustion or his burning hatred for this man. However, that look slowly morphed into something resembling confusion then eagerness when Conall pulled out his keys and placed one into the lock stationed between us.

The Guardian hesitantly turned the key and wrenched the bars open, causing a hideous screeching noise to echo down the hall. Dimitri seemed alarmed for a moment as he looked at us through the opening and I wondered if we shared the same fear that maybe they were going to throw me in there after all, but when Conall finally stepped aside Dimitri rushed straight to me.

His body practically slammed into mine as he engulfed me in his powerful arms; it would have nearly knocked me over if his tight grip around my back wasn't holding me in place. I didn't mind it in the least though—it was heaven. I pressed my cheek into his chest and clung to his shoulders as I let the feeling of him wash over me. The feeling that I had been desperately missing for weeks. I took a few deep breaths, simultaneously breathing him in and steadying my nerves. I eventually tilted my head up to look at him and he immediately brought his mouth to mine. He kissed me with fiery passion, his lips recounting every hour we spent apart and all the unspoken words between us. My heart fluttered in my chest as I leaned in further and I lost myself in his warm embrace.

I felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff and Dimitri's strong arms and soft lips were the only things keeping me from falling over the threshold. One of his hands moved to tangle in my loose hair and I let out a low moan, causing his chest to tremble. I had nearly forgotten where we were until an aggravated cough interrupted us. I regretfully pulled back from Dimitri but stayed enveloped in his arms, finally remembering where I was—and who I was with.

"Sorry," I cleared my throat, slightly embarrassed. Dimitri tore his smoldering gaze away from me to look over my head and I could see his Guardian mask snap into place when he spotted the owner of the intruding cough.

"Mr. Mazur," he greeted formally. I took a step to the side and entwined Dimitri's fingers with mine as I turned to face Abe.

"Belikov," he nodded. "Glad to see you're doing well." Abe had that sly, signature smirk on his face as he looked Dimitri up and down. I could feel my Russian god tense slightly under his scrutinizing gaze and he cast me a sidelong glance, silently questioning what Zmey was doing here.

"After we spoke to the Queen, she believed what we had to say and agreed to take action, but the topic of your release took some convincing." Dimitri turned to me as I spoke, listening intently. "She wants everything to be hush, hush for now to avoid panic and unwarranted scrutiny and thought your immediate release would raise a few red flags. But Abe here worked his serpent magic and convinced her otherwise." I repressed a shudder at the memory of his nauseating flattery and flirtation. "Thanks to him, you're a free man Dimitri."

My stoic Russian held onto his unreadable mask, but I could still sense hints of speculation. "Thank you, Mr. Mazur," he replied flatly.

"You don't seem all that pleased. Is there something that I'm missing here?" Abe crossed his arms disapprovingly and took a step closer to me.

"Apologies sir," Dimitri delineated. "I am grateful for what you did, truly, but am not sure what you expect of me in return. I already owe you more than I can give."

Abe dropped his arms and let out an exaggerated sigh. " _Please_ , Belikov don't be such a cynic. Not everything I do has to come with an overbearing price. Besides," Abe flashed me a wicked look causing a stone lump to form in my throat. I shook my head, trying to halt his next words but his intentions were clear as day. "What kind of monster would I be if I just let my daughter's boyfriend rot in jail."

Dimitri's brow slightly furrowed as he tried to decipher the words that had just fallen out of Zmey's mouth, and as his expression slowly morphed from confusion to understanding, then eventually shock, Abe oozed with complete, unadulterated amusement.

I could have killed him. I shot him a look that said " _seriously?!_ " and he just returned it with a shrug of his shoulders as he feigned innocence. No, we hadn't discussed when to tell Dimitri, but I didn't think I had to explicitly state that fact as we escorted him out of jail.

I looked over to a wide-eyed Russian frozen still as he was most likely running past interactions between the three of us through his head.

When most girls introduced their boyfriends to their father, it was at a nice sit-down restaurant or at their family home. They'd chat about the weather or discuss their family heritage, the usual boring crap that kept a conversation alive. Then there was me, in a jail cell standing between an accused traitor and a Turkish mobster. I was starting to think it was possible that nothing I would do in this life would ever be considered normal.

I dragged my hand down my face and let out a deflated sigh before remembering something I'd once heard Christian quote: if you can't laugh at yourself, then what the fuck is the point of living?

"Dimitri," I tugged on his arm and pulled his focus to me. "I'd like you to meet my father, Abe Mazur."

Any color left in his face completely drained, leaving him as white as a Moroi. I scrunched my shoulders up to my ears and cringed. "Surprise?"

* * *

A/N: Poor, poor Dimitri. What has he gotten himself into...

Thanks for reading! :)


	34. Chapter 34

**Ch. 34**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Gooey by Glass Animals, Celebrating Nothing by Phantogram**

The warm breeze twisted my ponytail and brushed the loose pieces of hair against my face as it whirled around us. The last remnants of the sun clung to the horizon giving the grounds a hazy orange highlight. I pushed my hands onto the wooden bench and leaned forward, hoping to soak in as many rays as I could before the sun abandoned us for the night. I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of freshly cut grass combined with Dimitri's sweat.

I don't know how it was possible for someone to smell so good after a 5-mile run, but the familiar aroma elicited a contented sigh from me. The bench let out a small creak as Dimitri shifted next to me and I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, slightly embarrassed that he had just heard me make that sound. _He couldn't know it was from smelling him though, could he?_

I could feel his gaze pointedly fixed on me causing my cheeks to instantly flush. _Dammit, he knew_. I hesitantly turned to face Dimitri and peered at him from under my eyelashes. I half expected to find a smug grin plastered on his face, but instead, he wore a heart-melting look that nearly stole my breath away.

"What is it," I asked, trying to feel him out.

He reached up to twine a piece of my hair through his fingertips and a small shudder rippled through me under his near-touch. "I almost forgot how beautiful you are in the sunlight."

Those burning eyes drew me in like a moth to a flame and I felt slightly dizzy under his adoring stare. "I'm a sweaty mess," I mustered out as I tried to keep my composure.

"I love it when you're sweaty," his deep voice rumbled causing something more feral to awaken within me. His hand that had been lazily playing with my hair moved to trap my neck as he slid closer to me, only stopping when he was a breath away from my lips. I inhaled his musky scent again, not caring if he caught me this time.

"Well in that case, maybe we should go run a couple more miles," I teased. "The sun's going down, but I'm sure I could muster up enough sweat to satisfy you." A small crease formed next to his eyes as the beginnings of a smile cracked his intense gaze.

"As nice as that sounds, I actually had another activity in mind," his tantalizing bottom lip grazed against mine as he spoke. A ragged breath was the only response I could muster. His other hand snaked across my thigh, sending burning waves of heat between my legs. "Something more...intimate. Back at your apartment."

I gripped his hand on my leg and jumped up from the bench, tugging him with as much force as I could gather up under my flustered state. "Well, then let's not waste another minute, Comrade." I yanked him forward and could hear a small chuckle escape him at my eagerness.

/

"This is _not_ what I had in mind." I stood at the kitchen countertop with my arms crossed as I looked over the ingredients and variety of bowls splayed across it. I was practically pouting, but my disappointment in that moment was far greater than any shame I'd feel for acting like a spoiled brat.

"You should feel honored Roza," Dimitri defended. "Olena Belikova takes great pride in her black bread recipe and granted me special permission to share it with you." He cracked an egg with one hand, deftly maneuvering his fingers around it as the yolk oozed into the bowl before tossing the shell into the sink nearby.

"Besides," he wiped his hands on his pants and moved from his adjacent position to stand directly behind me. "It needs to rise for a couple of hours. I'm sure we can find something to do in your bedroom while we wait." Dimitri wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his broad chest.

 _A couple of hours? Someone was confident._ "By that, you better not mean cleaning up my closet. Because that is _not_ going to happen."

An amused huff escaped his lips and he pulled me tighter against him. "I'll let you use your imagination," he said as he nipped my ear with his teeth. I let out a small moan, which quickly turned into an aggravated groan when he moved away to start stirring the bowl of goo again.

"Tease."

He nudged a bowl and spatula over to me with a look that was far too cavalier for Dimitri Belikov. I attempted to give him a scowl in return, but the permanent smile on my face betrayed me.

Since we had brought him back from the Royal Court cells three days ago, there was a warming feeling of contentment within me that I refused to let go of. Court was gradually crumbling around us, but I couldn't let it interfere with these rare moments I shared with Dimitri. Who knows how much longer we even had together.

After a few more meetings with Adrian and Lissa, the Queen had called Dimitri in to thank him and offer him his job back at St. Vlad's. To her disappointment, he declined but graciously thanked her anyways. Abe had made it very clear that although he had agreed to help get him out of jail, he still owed him a debt. Not that Dimitri would have argued otherwise. He was a man of honor and just because Abe was my father, he wasn't expecting to receive any sort of special treatment from the infamous Zmey. In fact, I think he was under the impression that he would be held even more accountable because of that little tidbit. I expressed my thoughts on the matter and threatened to ring the serpent's neck, but Dimitri insisted that he would be the one to handle it and settle his debt without my involvement.

He said I should take the opportunity to get to know my father without the all-consuming drama looming over us. Easier said than done, but I guess I owed it to myself to at least try. In between meetings with the Queen and checking in on Lissa, I had made time to see Abe one-on-one. Occasionally, my mother would join us, which only made things feel even weirder. I can't remember the last time I'd seen her smile so much. It would be cute if it wasn't so sickening.

"Not too much molasses," Dimitri warned, pulling me from my thoughts before my nausea promptly arose.

"Four words I never thought I'd hear come out of Guardian Belikov's mouth." He shook his head as I poured the dark, sticky syrup into my bowl. I caught his eyes glancing over at me again, inspecting my work. "I can't concentrate with you hovering like that."

"I'm not hovering, Rose," his tone was light and comfortable, reminding me of how he was back in Baia. "I'm just making sure you're not—WAIT!" His hand moved as fast as lightning to mine, but his grip was somehow still gentle and controlled. I froze in place with the bag of salt in one hand and my spoon in the other.

"This," he lifted my hand holding the spoon, "is a tablespoon. This," he lifted his hand with a smaller version of mine, "is a teaspoon."

"I take it they're different?" He pursed his lips, probably in an attempt to suppress a provoked sigh, and plopped the teaspoon into my palm. I gave him an innocent smile as I poured the salt into the plastic spoon. "I never claimed to be good at this, Comrade."

He shook his head this time before spouting out a couple more instructions. I pretended to listen intently as my left hand snuck into the bag of rye flour beside me, nodding along as he spoke. Dimitri lifted his bowl above a loaf pan and carefully dropped in his kneaded dough, covering the silver tin metal with thick, black fluff. The smell was already heavenly and his serene look was almost enough to make me change my mind. Almost.

My palm gripped around the flimsy powder, half of it falling out before I could get a good hold on it. As another good chunk of it slipped between my fingers I flung it over to Dimitri's perfect face, catching him by complete surprise. White specs clung to his cheeks and his eyes shot to his forehead. His now soiled face slowly turned to me, his expression completely immovable.

"Roza," he gritted through his teeth, but I knew there was still some softness behind it as his nickname for me crept out of his mouth.

"Whoops," I shrugged my shoulders, still wearing that innocent smile. "My hand slipped."

I was too busy giggling at his white speckled face to notice his quick movements behind him. Before I could react, his hand, along with something crisp then sticky, smashed onto the top of my head. A devilish smirk inched up his face as his open palm came down, holding the remnants of a crushed egg. My jaw gaped and my shoulders went stiff in an attempt to keep the egg from oozing further down my head.

"Why you—"

"Sorry," he interrupted flippantly. "My hand slipped."

We stared one another down, our eyes narrowing as we tried to gauge the other's next move. There was a familiar playfulness behind those deep brown eyes that spurred me on, and I reached into my bowl to fling the black goo at his neck. His hand went up to block it, but some of the slime seeped through his open fingers, splattering across his tan skin. He sunk his hand into the same bowl and smeared some of the batter across my cheek. I squealed and backed away, grabbing the bag of flour as I retreated.

And then...it was on. We traded blow for blow. An egg for a fistful of flour, a spoonful of goo for a chunk of melted butter, all the ingredients to Olena's famous black bread soaring across my tiny kitchen. I started flinging a myriad of whatever I could grab wildly, only knowing I'd made contact when I'd hear a small shout from across the kitchen. When I was at the bottom of my bag and cowering behind a frying pan I had managed snag off the countertop, I called out in between exhilarated shrieks, "Okay, okay! Truce!"

I peeked over the edge of the pan to Dimitri across the counter. He was looking at me speculatively as if I might be trying to trick him and jutted his chin over to my skillet-free hand. I instantly dropped the bag and raised both my hands above me. His eyes looked me up and down, inspecting any sign of a coup, then the most glorious sound escaped his lips. A full-bellied laugh rumbled across the stained tile and marble kitchen. I looked down at my appearance to find myself covered in every possible item that he could've gotten his hands on. I should have been completely grossed out by the assortment of raw food clinging to my clothes and exposed skin, but his laugh was so contagious, it sent me into a fit of my own. When I looked back up to him again, my hysteria only increased. Chunks of flour caked the ends of his hair, streaks of molasses striped across his chest, and black cocoa peppered his cheeks and neck. He was a delicious mess.

My sides started to ache and tears threatened to spill out of the corners of my eyes but I did my best to hold them in, worried that they might cause the flour on my face to bunch together. When our laughing finally started to die down, Dimitri grabbed his somehow untarnished pan of dough and popped it into the oven. I slid down to the floor as he shut the oven door and started a timer, my slimy back making an extremely unattractive sound as it skid along the cabinet.

Dimitri's shoes turned and walked towards me, sticking to the floor with each step. When they reached my side he crouched down, putting the rest of him back into view. He pulled his knees up and rested his elbows on them as we inspected our Jackson Pollock masterpiece.

"What have we done," I mumbled as my hand slid through a pile of brown goo on the floor.

He hummed lightly, the remnants of his laughter clinging to the sugar-filled air. "Well, not quite what I had in mind." He tore his gaze away from the mess to face me, his soft tone shifting into something a little sultrier. "But I'm sure it will still be delicious."

I attempted to raise my eyebrow at him suggestively and couldn't help the small giggle that floated between us. My heart was beyond full and even though I was a sticky mess in desperate need of a shower, I wanted to savor this moment for just a bit longer. "What was it like the first time Olena taught you to make black bread," I asked in an attempt to keep him here on the dirtied floor next to me.

"A lot less messy," he tilted his head towards me, the playful glint still lingering in his eyes. "And actually it was Yeva who taught me, not Mama. She was," he paused as he sifted through the memory to find the proper words to describe it, "much more serious and methodological about it. She can be that way sometimes, even when doing something as simple as making bread."

I let out a small scoff at the mention of his austere grandmother. "Is there anything she does that doesn't result in some morbid idiom?"

He looked at me slightly confused and I realized I'd spoken the words I hadn't meant to say out loud. My expression turned sheepish and he nudged me with his shoulder to encourage me to elaborate. I hadn't wanted to bring this up before, a warning of his impending death or worse wasn't really something that came out over casual conversation, but I guess while we were on the topic of his grandmother I might as well get it out.

"Before we left Baia, she gave me a warning, more or less, about you. Well, actually it was her through Paul because of the language barrier and all. But anyways, she said if I cared about you that I should tell you before it was too late, and she had that super creepy fortune teller look in her eyes. She should really consider opening up a booth at the traveling circus, you know?" My rambling halted long enough for images of him lying motionless on the ground in the Ivy's basement to rise into view. A worried chill snaked up my arms and my stare fell into my lap. I had almost lost him and if Lissa hadn't conjured enough strength to heal him, he wouldn't be here next to me.

Sensing my train of thought, Dimitri's hand gently brushed under my chin and guided my gaze to meet his. "I'm not going anywhere, Rose."

The finality in his words was so strong. Strong enough to make me believe he would do everything in his power to maintain the truth behind them. But after the events of the past few weeks, I was also faced with the harsh reality that he wasn't this invincible god that I had subconsciously molded him to be. He could get hurt. He could die. Which only made these small moments even more precious, and I wouldn't take them, or him, for granted ever again.

"Neither am I, Comrade. You're stuck with me for the long haul now."

A satisfied smile rested on his face and he brought his hand back down to his knees. "Well, I guess that means I should tell you that there is no language barrier. Yeva speaks English."

"What?!" My reaction elicited an apologetic look from Dimitri.

"She doesn't speak it often, but she knows it well. I think she does it so she can listen in on others without them knowing, but I'm not for certain why."

"Why that—she—uggghh," I stammered trying to control my rage while attempting to not insult Dimitri's grandmother. "You know you're family's nuts, right?!"

"Maybe a little," he chuckled. "But I guess we have that in common." I rammed my elbow into his side causing him to flinch and pursed my lips in mock affront.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry she tricked you," he didn't look all that sorry. "Maybe a present will cheer you up?"

"Present?" I perked up, immediately forgetting I was supposed to be pretending to be mad at him.

The hand that had just rested under my chin reached behind him and into his jean pocket. When it came back there was a small black bag nestled in it. I reached for it excitedly, my fingertips lightly grazing the inside of his wrist as I pulled it to me. I shook the bag next to my ear, trying to identify its contents and Dimitri shook his head at me again amusedly.

I dug my hand inside and pulled out a small cylinder tube. It was the same lip-gloss I had coveted back at the academy. It was the first gift that Dimitri had ever given me, in a time before either of us had succumbed to our feelings for each other or even realized how deep those feelings ran. It was the first time he had shown me that he thought about me as more than just some novice, and actually cared enough to gift me something that would make me smile. A huge grin spread across my face at the memory and the small gesture in front of me. I now knew how much he cared about me and the lengths he would go to ensure my happiness, but this small gift was a way to remind me where we started and how far we'd come. It was sappy and sentimental—and I loved it.

I turned to face him, beaming like a giddy, lovesick fool. "Thank you, Dimitri." I shifted to my knees to reach his height and pressed my lips to his. Dimitri's hand came up to my face, his thumb anchoring against my cheek and his fingers lightly brushing the skin below my ear as he deepened the kiss. I pushed closer to him and wrapped my arm around his neck to hold myself up—or keep myself from floating away. Suddenly, I felt his nose crinkle next to mine and a smile press against my lips.

"What is it," I asked as I slightly pulled away. Another light chuckle escaped him and I moved back to look at him, confused by what was so funny.

"You reek of eggs, Roza."

I had completely forgotten the state of mess we were in and let out a laugh as well. "Come on," I said as I hopped up from the floor. "Let's go get cleaned up."

Dimitri nodded, still wearing that breathtaking smile that he reserved just for me as he rose to stand. "Besides, I do remember someone mentioning certain bedroom activities while we waited for the bread to bake."

He leaned down and kissed me again, this time slipping his tongue in between my lips giving me a taste of warm melted butter and molasses. He barely pulled back so that his lip grazed mine again as he spoke in a low breath, "A promise I intend to keep, my love."

* * *

 **A/N** : Dimitri…what a tease. Gotta love that man ;)

You can all thank ohorpheuss for this playful Romitri moment because when the DH Godmother asks for fluff, she gets fluff!

The story is, unfortunately, coming to an end soon, but not just yet. Still a few more things for the gang to take care of before we say goodbye. I can't say thanks enough to all of you reading/following this story, especially to those who have been there from the beginning! Y'all are amazing.


	35. Chapter 35

**Ch. 35**

 **RPOV**

 **Songs: Slow Hands by Niall Horan, You Know What I Mean by Cults, Somewhere Only We Know by Lily Allen**

I laid on my bed surrounded by a mass of tangled sheets with one hand resting on my stomach, my remaining limbs sprawled like a starfish. My erratic breathing was finally slowing down and I was completely blissed out of my mind. After our impromptu food fight and much-needed shower, Dimitri made good on his promise...and oh man, did he. Flashes of Dimitri and I entwined around one another scorched my senses. His teeth roughly grazing my neck, the feel of his hips between my thighs, my legs wrapped around him to hold on for dear life. He took me every which way, showing me things and making me feel pleasure in ways I never thought possible.

It's true what they said about him. He was a god! Starting right away I decided I was converting to a new religion. It would be called: Dimitrism.

"We are _definitely_ doing that again," I let out between pants. My eyes were squeezed shut and I was starting to wonder if my toes would ever unscrunch.

A low rumble that sounded similar to a laugh reverberated through my springy mattress. "Vy mozhete rasschityvat' na eto," his deep voice purred. A couple more Russian murmurs spilled from his lips, their foreignness and melodic sound soothing me into pure satiation.

Just when I could feel my body starting to come down from its euphoric high, his fingertips brushed along my bare skin from the top of my thigh and up my side until they rested just below my left breast. His fingers started to make small circles causing my entire body to light up again. I let out an amorous moan in response and instinctively arched my body into his hand.

He turned on his side and ran his nose along the spot just below my ear as his feather-light kisses fluttered against my neck. "Mmm Roza, you have no idea what that sound does to me."

A cheeky smile inched up my face as he leaned in closer. "I think I can take a guess, Comrade," I said as I looked down to the growing evidence pressed against my leg. An amused puff of air escaped through his glorious smile and I about smothered it as I lunged forward with my mouth. I flipped him onto his back as I ravaged his already swollen lips and gripped his perfectly sculpted pecs.

"Roza," he huffed as he leaned back. "If you keep kissing me like that, we'll never leave this bedroom again."

I hummed against his lips as I considered his words. "I could be _very_ into that."

His rough hands glided up and down my back so lightly that if I couldn't see the tiniest flex of his biceps, I would've thought I had been imagining his touch. It still astounded me how those hands that could wield such inhuman strength and force with the ability to destroy anything that dare stand in their way, could also caress and soothe as if that were what they were truly made for. He laid his head back, giving us a bit of space but I could still see lust burning behind his hooded eyes. I knew it would only take one sultry maneuver from me for him to cave.

I loosened my hold on his chest and began sliding one of my hands across his carved abs. I pressed my fingers into each one as I moved further down causing his bottom lip to snake in between his teeth. He looked so incredibly sexy as he laid there beneath me, his hair disheveled from our earlier entanglement and his body completely under my mercy. God, the things I wanted to do to him.

I inched my fingers between us, painstakingly slow as I reached for my grand prize. But before I could grasp it, a loud beeping sound halted my ministrations. We both looked to the door, trying to snap out of our lust-filled haze and realign our thoughts.

"The black bread," Dimitri clarified. "It would be a shame to ruin two loaves."

I looked back towards him and conceded, partially because he had worked so diligently on it and partly because our earlier activities had left me ravenous. "Saved by the bell." I gave him a quick peck on the lips and hopped off to allow him to get up. He stood up from the bed to grab his boxer briefs off the floor and in an attempt to hold on to some of that rebelliousness—after sneaking a peak of that phenomenal ass, of course—I snatched his black t-shirt and threw it on over my head. If he wasn't going to give in to my desires at that very moment, then I would at least force him to walk around my place shirtless. Besides, there was no point in covering up such perfection.

He gave me a small smirk as he pulled up a pair of sweats and let them hang low on his waist to show off his muscled "V" that I had just been tracing. "To be continued."

I put on a quick pair of boy shorts and raced him to the kitchen. My apartment was filled with the heavenly scent of black bread and I was suddenly transported into Olena's home. It was strange how much I missed Dimitri's family. I had only been around them for a short time, but their warmness and acceptance of me had me longing to see them again. I grabbed a kitchen towel from one of the drawers and splashed some water on it as Dimitri deftly walked around the spills on the floor. I began wiping down the countertops so he would have space to put the bread down and could hear him opening the oven behind me. As I swiped away the grime I continued reminiscing about the Belikova's and our time in their home.

"Have you told your family about us," I blurted out.

"About us," he repeated back, probably wondering on what scale I was referring to. Me and him as a couple, me bailing him out of jail, or us and everyone else bringing Lissa back from the damned and simultaneously causing the Royal Court to go into a complete tailspin.

After the arrest of the Moroi involved with particular Mână factions, things had quickly gotten out of control. The Queen and Guardian Croft had done their best to keep things quiet, but when several high-ranking royals, including a couple of council members, were on the list of people incarcerated it became impossible to appease the uproar. A public announcement about why they were arrested went out and that night all went to hell. They were only given the basics, that those Moroi were involved in schemes to plot against us and with the Strigoi.

The details of what they did and who exactly they worked with weren't privy to anyone yet, but enough information had arisen to stir up trouble with the accused's families. However, it wasn't the Moroi reaction that did the most damage. It was the Dhampir and Guardian community that hit harder.

"Yeah, well my mother and father," the word still felt a little foreign on my tongue, "have known about us for a while, and as far as I can tell are cool with us being together. Not that their opinion would keep me from being with you," I added for reassurance. "But your family…you're much closer to them."

I could feel him walk up behind me as I finished wiping down the counter, the warmth from his body and the freshly baked bread wrapping around me. Now that I had that warmth in my life almost every day, I wasn't sure how long I could go without it when he left with Abe. "What if…" I hesitated. "What if they don't like me? I mean, don't like me for you. Last time we were there, I was kind of a mess." That was a massive understatement.

"Is _the_ Rose Hathaway worried about what someone else might think of her," he teased as he dropped the pan on the counter.

I placed a hand on my hip and leaned my other side against the counter to face him. "Not just _someone_ , Comrade. Your family. I know how important they are to you."

As much as I enjoyed his lighter side, I really wanted a serious answer out of him. Our relationship was still relatively new, and I was feeling slightly vulnerable.

He gave me a sidelong glance as he continued moving the bread out of the pan, his face wearing an irritatingly knowing look. His long, dramatic pause earned a jab into his shoulder from me and after a small chuckle, he finally conceded. "My family has known that I am in love with you for quite some time. Apparently, I am not as good at hiding things from them as I am the rest of the world. Karo and Mama are especially good at sifting information out of me," he sheepishly admitted.

"Really? Well, I'll have to snag a few pointers from them then," I noted.

His brows slightly furrowed as he began slicing the bread and I thought he might be about to protest that idea but instead, he said, "Roza, you know me better than anyone I've ever met." I could feel my cheeks start to turn pink under his admission. "There's nothing about me they could tell you that you don't already know."

"Except for more embarrassing stories about your horrible taste in music. What was the band Sonya mentioned, again? Air Supply!" Dimitri let out a groan and mumbled something in Russian under his breath.

"Don't worry, Comrade," I tucked myself under his arm and wrapped my body around his waist. "Your secret's safe with me. Now, Eddie on the other hand. He's a blabbermouth, he can't keep a secret to save his life." A total lie. Hell, Eddie had kept his feelings for Mason from me for years. But it was still fun seeing Dimitri squirm a little.

"Anyways," he attempted to change the subject. "My family is happy that I'm happy, and they think the world of you. But if you'd like, we can call them together and you can see for yourself."

Hearing Dimitri say that instantly soothed me and completely squashed any insecurities I had been unnecessarily holding onto. As I watched him meticulously work on the fresh loaf, carefully making sure each piece was sliced the same as the next, it was easy to see the similarities between him and Olena. The same concentrated line across their brow, the ease of movements with their hands, and the warm smile leisurely placed across their mouths as they worked. I suddenly missed her terribly.

"Maybe after things have settled down we could visit them? I do miss Baia."

His eyes lit up and looked at me with such adoration at the mention of visiting his family. He brushed back my hair and leaned down to give me a sweet kiss, then said, "I'd love that, Roza."

I was about to suggest that he take me back to my bedroom and show me how much he'd love it when another voice popped into my head.

 _Rose, you there?_

I sent some acknowledging feelings through the bond to let her know I was listening and took a small step away from Dimitri. Thankfully, the charm Adrian had made for her allowed her to tap into it when she wanted—to avoid being forcibly pulled into it like I was in the beginning. The last thing I wanted to think about when Dimitri and I were in bed together was whether or not Lissa was watching us do the deed.

 _I'm sorry, I know it's your time with Dimitri, but I need to talk. Can you come by?_

 _Sure, Liss. I'll be right over._

 _Bring Dimitri too._

"Everything alright with Vasilisa," Dimitri asked. He had become an expert on being able to read when we visited each other through the bond.

"Yeah, she just needs to talk," I clarified. I reached for a slice of bread that Dimitri had laid out and shoved it into my mouth. It was damn good. "Can we take this to-go?"

/

Up in Lissa's room, I sat in silence as she finished speaking. I knew what she had to tell me was probably important or she wouldn't have insisted I come over right away, but a trip through Ginger-infested backwoods to hang with Eva's screwed up family was the absolute last thing I would have expected.

"It's been a few days since she made her offer and I'm leaning towards yes. But I want to know what you all think." Lissa had called all of us in to tell us the news, well all except Eva. She was apparently with Abe for the time being so Lissa thought it would be an opportune time to discuss it with us alone.

"I think you should stay," Christian announced. "You'll be better protected here at Court."

Normally, Chris would be right. The Royal Court was typically the safest place for any high-ranking royal, what with the mass amounts of wards and Guardians to keep out any sign of a threat, but since Tatiana took action against the traitors, that impenetrable safety net was fractured.

Although it was the right thing to do, it had caused a disturbance in Court far greater than any of us imagined. Tatiana stripped all the traitors of their titles and they were now sitting in jail until the Councils could figure out what to do with them, but that hadn't appeased the masses. Just like Eddie and I had been at the Dragomir estate and the ball, many Dhampir and Guardians were outraged that this many Moroi would even consider betraying their kind and ours. There were even rumors of discord between the Guardian and Moroi Councils after a few of the latter's members were counted amongst the accused.

"Not necessarily," I quietly spoke. "Court was already almost infiltrated once and it could easily happen again." Everyone's heads turned to me, shocked to see me argue the other side. It was no secret that Eva and I weren't the best of friends and even though she had played a huge part in bringing Lissa back, I still wasn't sure if I trusted her. She was consistently keeping secrets from us, and in our world, secrets could get you killed. If I couldn't even trust her now, how could I trust her out on our own and with my best friend's life?

But I couldn't just think about me and let my opinion of Eva cloud my judgment. For some reason, Lissa trusted her and I had to take that into consideration. "But Liss, I don't want you to think you have to go just because you feel like you owe Eva something. We'll find another way to keep you safe, no matter what it takes."

"That's not what it's about," Lissa defended. Her tone was sharper than she intended, but I didn't take any offense. She gave me an apologetic look and her voice softened. "Many of the people I...turned are still there, working with the Order. They're there because of _me_ , so it's only right that I be the one to bring them back." We all sat there in silence again, unsure how to delve into the subject she was breaching.

"Eva says there are people in her community that can help me control my powers. Use them for something good. Adrian," his face perked up from the corner of the room, "don't you want to know more about what we can do? To finally understand this power within us and how to harness it without constantly worrying about it driving us mad?"

He held a sense of wonder at her words, obviously peaked by the prospect of cultivating his magic. The two of them shared this desire back at the academy and only had each other to learn from. Now Eva was offering a whole community of people that they could gain insight from.

"Yes," Adrian breathed out, enamor still filling his expression. "I mean, it would be nice not wanting to constantly rip my hair out around all of your unstable auras," he shifted into a more relaxed position. "This perfection can only withstand temptation for so long."

Lissa smiled at him and turned to Christian next. "Didn't you say you were considering advocating offensive magic at Court with Tasha?"

"Yes," Christian nervously scratched the back of his neck. "But now that's probably gone to shit with everything that's going on right now."

Lissa gently brought his hand down from his neck and placed it on her lap. "There are other Moroi in the community that use their specializations in defensive tactics. They can provide us with techniques that we can bring back to Court when everything has settled down and they are ready to listen."

"And Rose, Eva said that they could use fighters like you and Eddie to help improve their skills. You wouldn't be protecting ungrateful Moroi that hide behind you at the first sign of danger, we would be fighting alongside you."

Eddie's expression was immovable as he carefully listened to Lissa's words, but I knew what she was saying was more than tempting to any Dhampir like us; especially after what we had witnessed over the past couple of months. Taking on Strigoi offensively was extremely risky, there was a reason most of us stayed protected behind wards and perfected our defensive tactics. But we would be risking our lives for a far greater purpose. Not to mention our future here was completely unknown. If we would even be accepted back into the community after becoming renegade, who knows where Eddie would end up or who he would end up with.

There was no doubt in my mind that I would follow Lissa wherever she decided to go. I would protect her for the rest of my life, not because of my duty, but because of my love for her. "And I appreciate that Rose," she interrupted my wandering thoughts. "But this is a choice. I want nothing more than to have you with me. You're my family." I smiled under her loving gaze and instantly forgave her for reading my thoughts through the bond. "However, I want you to choose this for yourself. Not for me. No more of this 'they come first'. Not anymore. We'll do this together, or not at all."

I had heard Lissa speak like that once before. As a Strigoi she had used my low-ranking position against me to try and convince me to join her. It had sounded wrong and tainted then, but now it almost sounded...right. Lissa was no longer that dark being that only wanted me for power, she wanted to fight against that evil and with us by her side—not under her.

I wasn't sure if that old mantra that had been ingrained in me for years would ever really leave me but hearing Lissa say that she felt otherwise chipped away at it the tiniest bit. She was giving me a choice on how to live my life, a farfetched concept for someone like me, something I hadn't ever really taken the time to consider.

I looked to the other side of the room at Eddie, trying to gauge his thoughts on what Lissa was offering. "Castile, what do you think?"

He stepped forward a little and spoke to everyone in the room. "Yesterday, in the gym I heard a few Guardians talking," he looked a little hesitant to continue and looked up at Dimitri, sharing that same look they did in Baia like they had some sort of secret between them. Dimitri gave him an encouraging nod and Eddie continued. "There have been some rumors of Guardians abandoning their charges. As of now, I heard it's only been a few from families directly related to some of the accused traitors, but the whispers are growing."

"It's true," Adrian solemnly interjected. "My Aunt told me after Croft interrogated some of the Mână's Guardians they found out that many of them had been compelled into complying with them, which is only adding to the Dhampirs' fury and distrust." Adrian's words answered so many questions that I had, had back at the Dragomir estate and I couldn't help the rage that was slowly starting to rumble in my chest.

"The Guardians in the gym said they would have done the same, and how could they continue protecting and trusting those families after what happened," Eddie looked a little disgusted at the fact that Guardians would talk this way, but could we really blame them? "My point is, what if it goes as far as Court Guardians no longer trusting in the system as well?"

My mind was racing, trying to grasp what he was suggesting.

"It wouldn't be safe for Lissa here anymore and if something like that were to really happen, we'd need to be prepared to face the worst. I think working with this Salvatori and going after the enemy before they can take us down at our weakest moment is our best shot."

He was right. I had been no stranger to wanting to fight them first. Chris and I popped that cherry back at the academy during our first attack, but I'd also learned since then about the other kinds of monsters out there we could be facing. I just had to believe that we would be strong enough to succeed. All of us, together.

I looked to Dimitri then to Lissa, both patiently waiting for my response. "Well, if no one has any objections it looks like we're heading off to Red's creepy family compound. Wherever that is."

Lissa jumped up from her seat and launched herself into my arms. "Thank you, Rose," she whispered into my hair. "I know we can make things right." I squeezed back, basking in her sweet embrace. It was crazy to think that just a few short weeks ago she was too shaken to even let me come near her, and now things almost felt like the way they were before. She had beaten past the guilt and depression long enough to find a solution to the damage she had inadvertently caused. My best friend was a fighter, and I was proud to fight alongside her. When she pulled back the others gave out their own agreed acknowledgments, only adding to her pure joy.

"We won't be leaving for a few days so there's time to check in with your parents and gather up anything we might need. But before any of that, there's one more thing I need from you two," Lissa looked over to me and Eddie, a huge grin climbing up her mischievous face. _Great, what now?_

 **DPOV:**

 **Songs: Full Moon Song by Peter Bradley Adams, I Won't Share You by The Smiths, Second Chances by Gregory Alan Isakov, Someday in the Future by Bad Sports**

After the discussion in Vasilisa's room, she escorted us to a meeting with the Queen, to Rose's dismay. She and Queen Tatiana seemed to be on much better terms than Rose had described in the past, but she still wasn't eager to stand on ceremony. I guess that rebellious side of her would always leave her feeling weary under authority, but she was quickly becoming accustomed to hiding it.

Vasilisa and Adrian laid out all the details of their plans to the Queen, just as she had done with us. Her argument was admirable and infallible. The combination of logic and emotional appeal that she had used back in her room captivated me as well as the others, and I couldn't help but think that she would make a great leader one day if she chose to. I wasn't sure why she had asked Rose to bring me along since we all knew that I would be within Abe's control as soon as he decided to leave Court, but I appreciated her wanting to include me in their decision all the same.

Tatiana was more hesitant than the others to agree, understandably, but eventually, she had to come to terms that the decision could ultimately benefit the dilemma she was having with reeling in her subjects. The Moroi desperately needed to win back the support of the Dhampirs before too much damage was done. Without us, they were defenseless. Vasilisa brought up the point that if the Queen eventually decided to try an initiative to support offensive magic, it would prove the Moroi's dedication and loyalty to their Dhampir brethren. And what better way to do so than with a group of high-ranking Moroi that had developed the training they would need.

There was also the unspoken fact that Tatiana probably wouldn't be able to keep them from going anyways. Yes, she was the Queen and could easily order them to stay put, but as past events had proven, they could just as easily run away. It would be better to know where they were and stay in touch than to try and control them. Besides, with Rose on their side, there was no doubt in my mind that they would find a way out of here—even with all of the Royal Court Guardians blocking her way—and the way the Queen continually glanced at her I could tell she recognized the same ability within her.

After she finally conceded and insisted on constant communication and updates, it looked like things were settled. Her unrelenting trust in Adrian spoke legions and it made me see him in a whole other light. Tatiana didn't become Queen on being easily charmed and persuaded by smooth-talkers such as Ivashkov and if she believed in him enough to go off on his own with the last Dragomir Princess and a secret community of Spirit users, then there had to be much more to him that we didn't know.

When I thought the conversation was coming to an end, Tatiana raised another topic. "Miss Hathaway, Mr. Castile," they moved forward and politely bowed their heads under her recognition. "That won't be necessary, please come sit."

They gave each other a curious look but followed direction as asked. Lissa peered over at me, wearing that mischievous expression she had adorned back in her room. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I suddenly got the feeling that she had asked me to come with Rose for more than one reason.

"It seems that the two of you have been away from St. Vladimir's Academy long enough to miss your trials, ultimately prohibiting you from graduating. I understand why you weren't there, but unfortunately, we cannot have two Novices protecting Moroi, little less the last of the Dragomir line." Rose's face dropped, disappointment slowly taking over her features. I knew she was confident in her ability to protect Vasilisa, but hearing the Queen say otherwise would be a sting to anyone's ego. My fists balled at my sides my jaw started to twitch. I could feel my objections rising up my throat. How dare she judge Rose based solely on her title. She had no idea what this brave, loyal, extraordinary woman was capable of. I opened my mouth to tell her just that, but before even a sound escaped me the Queen continued.

"Which is why I have decided to amend our current situation." Rose and Eddie's wide eyes simultaneously shot up to full attention. I looked over to Lissa again, her smile growing by the second. "I have spoken with Guardian Croft and he agrees that your action in the field goes beyond what many experienced Guardians could achieve, little less the school's trials. It is with our great pleasure to grant you as sanctioned Guardians from this day forth. Your records will reflect the highest marks achieved through a top-secret mission set out by Guardian Croft and me, and since you will be unable to attend your graduation ceremony we have decided to conduct the official proceedings here." The Queen stood from her seat and motioned to one of her guards at the far side of the room. "If the Moroi would please leave the room, we will get things started."

Rose looked over to her retreating friends, her eyes landing on Lissa, and by the change in her expression, I could only assume they were having another silent conversation. A small tear escaped from the Princess' eye, her proud smile still glued to her face. Christian placed an arm around her waist and escorted her out, followed by Adrian. As they left the room, another figure entered—Rose's mother. She stood at attention on the other side of the room as a Guardian with a tattoo machine began setting up and gave me a short nod in recognition. I returned it and we both moved our gazes back over to the two young Dhampir quietly waiting to receive their promise marks.

Normally, these ceremonies left me feeling a bit melancholy. Seeing a group of adolescents walking up to join the ranks, knowing that at least half of them probably wouldn't last their first year in the field. It was a disheartening realization that unfortunately, they could only learn from experience. But on that day in the Queen's quarters, the only emotion that filled me was pride. Rose had endured the impossible and come out the other side more accomplished than most people would have ever expected of her.

She'd spent her life being either looked down upon for her unwarranted reputation or underestimated for her lack of discipline and rebelliousness, but I'd known since that first night meeting her that she was stronger than anyone I'd ever met. I'd mistakenly underestimated her for a split second, and she proved me wrong with just one fearless look. I told myself I'd never make that mistake again and did everything in my power to help her make others see that in her too. Once she had the tools and harnessed that burning drive to perfect them, she had become invincible.

As she walked up to the Guardian administering the tattoos, she turned back to glance at me. The look on her face caused my heart to swell. Even though there were some Guardians out there that no longer considered the promise we wore on the backs of our necks as a part of who they were, I could see that this was still everything to Rose. I should have remained professional and serious in that moment—turned on my former mentor guise and remained impassive—but I couldn't help but smile at her, letting her know how proud I was to see her achieve everything she had worked so hard for before her life was turned upside down.

When the process was complete, she and Eddie embraced, and I could see the smallest hint of sadness reflected in one another's eyes. It seemed I wasn't the only one thinking about how there were those of us who lost their lives at a young age; one in particular who didn't even make it past his years of being a novice. They shared a silent moment for their fallen friend but didn't let his memory diminish their achievement that day.

Guardian Hathaway explained that Abe was hosting a congratulatory dinner for the both of them in one of the main halls and that arrangements had been made for them back in their rooms. I was still having a difficult time wrapping my head around the news that he was Rose's father—not to mention the fact that Rose and I had been together intimately within the confines of his hotel. I was shocked he didn't pay off the guards outside my prison cell to put a bullet in my head and throw my body into the Pymatuning Lake. Instead, he had persuaded the Queen to release me. Abe insisted there were no strings attached to that favor, but I knew firsthand that when it came to dealing with Zmey, there was always a catch. I'd just have to wait and find out what.

The two newly accredited Guardians said a quick goodbye and expressed their thanks to the Queen before excitedly walking out. After Eddie and Janine had parted ways I decided to walk Rose back to her place before going to my own. A permanent smile was plastered on her face and there was a bounce to her step that I hadn't seen in some time. Her hand reached behind her to adjust the bandage on her neck.

"Don't worry, it will only itch for a couple of hours. It will be healed before you know it," I assured her.

She moved her hand to her glorious mane and began twisting her ponytail through her fingers. "So, what do you think, Comrade? I'm officially your equal now." Her tone was light and flirtatious, but for some reason, my response couldn't match it.

"You've always been my equal, Roza." My seriousness caught us both off guard a little, but I guess there would always be a part of me that was propelled to defend her, even from herself. She turned to me, studying my face the way she did sometimes as if she was looking through me instead of at me and a shy smile crawled up the side of her mouth. Her hand found its way between us and wrapped itself around mine as we continued walking in comfortable silence.

When we were only a couple of blocks away from her place, she asked, "Dimitri, you knew about the other Guardians leaving their charges. Didn't you?"

I let out a small sigh before responding, still holding on to her warm hand. "Yes. Eddie and I heard them talking after our workout. I planned on telling you after we made the bread, but we were...distracted," I put delicately.

She hummed quietly, no doubt reminiscing over the hours we had spent in her bedroom. The sultry look she wore now made me want to throw her over my shoulder and charge back into that room. But as her hand came up to her neck again, I could tell something else was still on her mind.

"I can't believe that they would do that. Leave their Moroi completely unprotected. It's not right."

Earlier, when Eddie first brought it up, she didn't seem to have much of a reaction. But maybe now that she had officially declared her promise to protect the Moroi, her thoughts had slightly altered. I couldn't say that I disagreed. I would have never expected that from a sanctioned Guardian who had dedicated his life to protect others. But I'm also not sure I would be able to trust those same people that could turn on you just as fast as their father, brother, or wife did. "It's not for us to put ourselves in their position. We just have to continue doing what we think is right and hope others will eventually do the same."

A short laugh fluttered out of Rose and she leaned her head on my arm. "Leave it to the Zen Master to come up with a reasonable response." I kissed the top of her head, indulging in the feel of her silky hair against my lips.

Now that our time together had a set expiration date, I was trying to soak up every moment I had with her. We knew this day would come sooner rather than later but had been avoiding talking about it. We both agreed that we should spend this precious time together being happy while we could, rather than dwelling on the fact we would be separated soon. I held her against me, memorizing every little detail of this moment.

"Hey, Comrade?"

"Yes, Roza."

"I was wondering," she started, an unfamiliar nervousness in her tone. "With this celebration dinner, or whatever it is tonight." She lifted her head off my arm and paused.

"What is it," I asked, gently pressing her forward.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd be my date. More or less."

It was such a simple thing to ask on the grander scale of everything else going on around us, but I realized that we had never really had an official date before. We were constantly surrounded by a turmoil of events or recovering from the brink of battle. I looked down to see her nervously playing with the hem of her shirt as she waited for my response. I couldn't help but think how adorable she looked in that moment and took another mental picture to keep me company while on the road with Abe, but I also knew she would surely kick my ass if I ever called her that. I licked my lips and fought back the growing amusement to answer her sincerely. "Nothing would please me more."

Her head popped up, flashing me a full-fledged grin. "Great! Pick me up in an hour," she winked and skipped over to her front door. Her ponytail whipped around her collar as she turned to give me one more enchanting smile then disappeared into her apartment. I swear, that girl could send me into cardiac arrest with just a look.

/

When we arrived, several of the other guests were already present. There were a few familiar faces that I spotted, including Tasha Ozera and Alberta Petrov. Abe had rented out a sizeable room that would easily house fifty plus people, but so far it was just some of Rose and Eddie's close friends and family.

Rose clung to my arm and took in the sights of the room. As I looked around as well I caught the glimpse of a pale pink blur flash by then plummet towards Rose.

"Liss. You're suffocating me," Rose squeezed out as the Princess gripped her friend to her.

"Sorry, Rose. I'm just so happy for you." Vasilisa pulled back a little, holding on to Rose's shoulders as they smiled at one another.

"I take it you had something to do with this," Rose gestured to her body, running the back of her hand down her side to her waist.

"Guilty," Lissa beamed. "You like it though, right? Christian's been insisting I try out things I used to like doing to—I don't know—get me feeling more comfortable with things here. So, he suggested we go shopping to get you a dress." As if manifested by the Princess' explanation, Christian walked up behind her and placed a cautious hand on her shoulder.

"So, fireball, I hear I have you to thank for my ensemble tonight. Who knew you were such a fashionista," Rose teased.

Christian rolled his eyes and let out an aggravated response. "I didn't pick it out or anything. Just accompanied Lissa, that's all."

"I don't know Sparky, first baking and now dress shopping. Before we know it you'll be joining the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."

"Oh, you two hush, you're deviating from the point. Dimitri," Lissa turned to me, pushing back from Rose just a little bit more. "Doesn't Rose look beautiful?"

There was no looking at Rose tonight. All I could do was stare at the magnificent creature that I had somehow become lucky enough to escort. Her dark waves spilled down her back, just barely touching the edges of her open back dress. It was a deep blue that reminded me of the sky just as the sun had finally set when it still clung to the last bits of reflected waves before fading into blackness. It was adorned with thin, gold filigree designs threaded along the edges and across the neckline, accentuating her tanned, bare arms and back. I could spend all night tracing those threads with my fingertips.

"She's the most radiant thing I've ever seen," I finally responded to Lissa, my eyes still fixed on Rose. Her grip on the sleeve of my suit jacket tightened under my gaze and I could feel her body pulling towards mine like a magnet. Her eyes flicked to my lips and I wanted nothing more than to oblige in her silent request and ravage her smooth, pink mouth.

"Well, you can say that again," Adrian's voice pulled us out of our momentary trance and we turned our attention to him. "But I must say, the bell of the ball might be Belikov. I can always appreciate a man who knows how to wear a suit." Lissa and Rose giggled and I stood there silent, unsure how to respond.

"And what am I? Chopped liver," Eddie jumped in, saving me from looking like a mute idiot. "I'll have you know I make this suit look damn good." He was wearing a dark maroon, fitted suit and a forest green paisley tie.

"Eddie! You look so handsome," Lissa gushed. "By the way, has anyone seen Eva yet?" Rose and Eddie shook their heads and sifted their sights through the crowd. I turned behind me and saw a flash of red hair sneak back behind the entrance of the room.

"Rose, why don't you and Eddie go say hello to Guardian Petrov? I'll be right behind you." Rose nodded and latched onto Eddie as they headed over to greet their former teacher. I moved over to the front door and walked into the hall. Just as I expected, there was Eva standing with her arms nervously crossed over her torso and her bottom lip worrying between her teeth.

"Good evening, Eva," I politely greeted.

"Hi," she nervously breathed out.

"You look lovely tonight," it was true. Her hair was no longer a tangled, unruly mess and had been combed straight. She was wearing a yellow sundress that actually fit her, unlike the clothes she normally wore which always seemed to be a tad too long, and I had to admit she looked quite nice.

"I hate dresses," she curtly responded.

"Then why did you wear one?" She let out an aggravated sigh and dropped her arms to her side.

"Because Lissa asked me."

It seemed Rose wasn't the only one the Princess had decided to play dress up with this evening. I held back an amused grin, knowing it would only irritate the feisty Moroi more. "I'm not a fan of dressing up either," I admitted. "Suits aren't really my thing."

"Really?" She looked me up and down with a speculative look on her face. "Could've fooled me."

I'm not sure if it was a compliment or not, but I shrugged it off nonetheless. "You know, the others are asking about you. Rather than stay out here miserable in your fancy clothes by yourself, we could go in and be miserable together." I extended my arm to her and gave her a small, reassuring smile.

Eva stood still for a moment, weighing her options, before finally conceding and taking my arm in hers. Her demeanor softened as we slowly made our way into the room.

"We both know you're not miserable," she leaned over and murmured to me. "I don't have to be a Spirit user to know that being around Rose makes you the happiest guy in the room." She wasn't wrong. I would wear or do anything Rose asked just to make her smile.

"Just so you know," she continued. "I'm glad you two found your way back to each other. With all the ugliness in the world, it's nice to see…" she paused as she looked across the room at Rose, then back to me. "It's just nice to see."

Despite the austere front Eva put up, there was this part of her that was truly genuine and caring. It didn't come out often, but when it did I couldn't help but think how alike she and Rose could be.

"Thank you, Eva."

"Hey, glad you finally made it," Christian voiced as he casually strode over.

"Here I am," Eva sarcastically responded, her earlier lightness slipping back behind her steely wall.

"I've actually been wanting to talk to you about something. Mind if I steal you away for a sec?" Eva looked up to me for an instant, and I wondered what caused her hesitation. For a time, she and Christian had become relatively close and she normally had no problem sharing time with him. But before I could ask, she let out a small sigh and agreed to his request.

"Yeah sure. Catch you later, Belikov. Don't miss me too much," Eva shot me a quick wave and walked off with Christian.

I watched them for a moment to make sure she was comfortable enough now that she was already inside and set off to find Rose again. She was engaged in a conversation with Tasha and Abe. I paused for a moment, trying to decide if I wanted to approach them or not. Tasha and I hadn't spoken much since I turned down her offer to guard her, but to my knowledge, we had left things on relatively good terms. Abe, on the other hand, was an entirely different story.

I had been encouraging Rose to get to know him more, she had gone her entire life without knowing her father and it would be better if she could form her own opinion of him without other influences in the way. But that didn't mean I was jumping at the gun to talk to him as well. The last time we were alone was in the library at his hotel where he had made it very clear that our arrangement hadn't been forgotten and he basically held my situation with the Court Guardians over my head. Lately, most of our communication was through Pavel, who would seek me out with cryptic messages here and there from the illusive Zmey. Mostly just him telling me that they would be staying here for a little longer, but I would be leaving with them as soon as Abe saw fit. I guess I should have been used to being under someone's finger after an entire life of succumbing to outdated laws and hierarchies that probably wouldn't have even known my name if it weren't for my involvement with the Dragomir Princess, but I hated that my fate was dangling even further from me now.

I decided that eventually Rose and I would have to be around him together, even though it would probably stir up some unwanted feelings within her as well. It just meant I'd have to try extra hard to play nice and keep the peace. I sucked in a deep breath and made my way over to them.

"Can't you keep your hands to yourself for one—"

"Dimka," Tasha's excited voice interrupted Rose's reprimanding. Abe was looking at his daughter smugly and I could only assume he had been using his infamous "charms" on Tasha before I approached them.

"It's so good to see you."

"You as well Tasha. How have you been?" I stood next to Rose but didn't make contact with her yet out of respect for our present company.

"Much better now that Christian is back. He gave me quite the scare for a bit, but when he finally called me and told me he was with you I felt more at ease." I could feel Rose shift uncomfortably next to me as Tasha spoke.

"Yeah, well Dimitri's the best. Anyone would feel safer knowing their loved ones were with him," Rose voiced. Her tone wasn't necessarily rude, but I could tell she had lost some of that spiritedness she usually held. I was in a precarious situation. I wanted to squash any insecurities she had about Tasha being around but also wanted to remain respectful to her father. However, I eventually decided that reassuring my love of my feelings for her was far more important than pissing off Abe. I reached down and slipped her hand into mine, pulling her close against me. I could feel her relax the tiniest bit at the gesture, at the same time causing Tasha's face to fall.

She had known when I turned down her offer that my heart was somewhere else, but it was one thing hearing it and entirely another seeing it. I half expected Tasha to admonish me, or at least pull me aside to talk without Rose around, but to my surprise, her expression softened, and she moved her attention from our clasped hands to Rose.

"You know, I never got to thank you, Rose."

Rose looked at her curiously and remained quiet as Tasha continued. "Christian has learned so much from you. I admire what the two of you did at St. Vladimir's during the school attack. Not many skilled Dhampir would trust a Moroi to have their backs like that. He's definitely gained an entirely new perspective because of it and you two are truly an example of what our way of life should be like."

Rose nodded along, no doubt as confounded by Tasha's response as me. "He's also told me about all of your decision to learn more about using his magic offensively with one of your new friends. I'll admit, I was a little hesitant to see him go so soon after just getting him back, but I know with you by his side you two can accomplish the impossible."

"Wow," Rose let out, her expression still baffled. "Thank you, Tasha. It's not very often we hear Moroi speak like that. It's...refreshing."

Tasha smiled and gave her a small nod in response. "Well, if you will excuse me I would very much like to catch up with Vasilisa. Promise me you'll come find me before you leave town, Rose? You've become a very important person in my nephew's life and I think it's time we got to know one another better."

"Of course," Rose agreed and the two of them shared a short embrace.

"It's also become apparent that you've managed to make the surly Dimitri Belikov very happy, _not_ an easy feat, and I commend you for it." Tasha took a step back from Rose and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm truly happy for the both of you and wish you all the best." There was the tiniest sense of sadness in her pale blue eyes, but there was no doubt in my mind the sincerity of her words.

"Thank you, Tasha." I wanted to say more about how much her acceptance meant. There was a time where her friendship was a huge support in my life and she had helped me through some of my lowest times after I lost Ivan. I gave her a small smile, hoping that she would see my deep appreciation of her gesture, and she flashed me a quick wink before dropping her arm and heading off to speak with the Princess.

"Well, that was...unexpected," Rose turned to watch Tasha walk away with a pleased look adorning her face.

"Mhmm yes, well I was planning to wait until after dinner but since I have the two of you here now, there's really no reason to wait," Abe's voice pulled our attention back to him and Rose's expression slightly hardened. I squeezed her hand a little tighter to hopefully alleviate her rising tension, but Abe's serious demeanor only made it that much more difficult.

"Belikov, I think it's time we discuss our next move."

Rose's hand gripped around mine protectively and her eyes narrowed. Her mouth opened, and she took in a breath in preparation for what would most likely be a long rant, assailing her father. But before she could say anything she might end up regretting, I intercepted.

"Sir, don't you think we should talk about this in private."

Abe's chin rose slightly over my unintentional slight, but it was hard to look down on someone at my towering height.

"Actually," Rose jumped in. "I'd like to hear this."

Abe's face remained in line with mine, but I could see his eyes flick to her for an instant and a snaky smile inch up his face.

"Excellent," his tone and expression lightened, and his hands moved to clasp behind his back. "I've recently had one of my business associates volunteer for an extremely risky, yet necessary mission. She's stationed remotely for the time being but will be putting herself in much more danger than I would like by agreeing to head this operation." I stood there impassive as Abe continued to outline his plans for my future.

"I fear that she and her sister will need protection not only outside of their confines but inside as well. I've done my best to provide that safety over the years, but now that their plans are expanding, it will likely cause some disturbance in their community." He let out a small sigh and I could see the smallest hint of responsibility he felt for this woman he spoke of. I wasn't sure what their relationship was, but I could clearly see in that instant, that this wasn't just purely business...it was personal.

And yet, he was trusting it with me.

"The young woman's name is Josette Gallagher. She is quickly becoming one of the major influencers of her community and I need to make sure she remains safe."

"Wait, Gallagher. I know that name," Rose interrupted. Her eyes darted along the floor as her mind searched for answers. I looked down at her, wondering how she could possibly know another one of Abe's associates. It was too coincidental. Eventually, her eyes widened, and her head slowly turned to the other side of the room. I followed her gaze to see it landing directly on Eva.

"Josette Gallagher. That's Eva's sister." Rose's quiet words caused my gaze to immediately shoot back to Abe. He didn't speak a word, but his silence was enough to confirm Rose's declaration.

"But that would mean—" My heart was actively trying to leap out of my chest. Not only would I not have to leave Rose for God knows how long, but I could also help her and the others take down the monsters that started all of this chaos in the first place.

"If you believe you are up for the task, your service will clear you of any debt you owe me. However," I should have known there would be a catch. Rose's face finally turned back to our conversation, her expression falling somewhere between worry and hope. "I need to make it very clear that there will be no outside communication with anyone other than me while you are there. I have to make sure that everything that happens between Josette and the other's remains completely confidential. This includes your family." It was then I finally understood what he was asking. "Your mother has been more than helpful to me in the past, and it's because of this I won't force her only son to exile himself from her for the foreseeable future, so I am giving you a choice to take on this mission with the Salvatori or come with me and work off your debt in other ways while still remaining in contact with our community."

I was no stranger to being away from my family for extended periods of time. Since I had started my position at the academy I hadn't been to see my family in over two years. But not seeing them in person, and not communicating with them at all were in no way the same thing. I thought about Karo and the kids, Sonya who was getting ready to pop any day now, and Vika who would soon be graduating and joining the ranks of the Guardians herself. In many ways, they still needed me—almost as much as I needed them.

I could see Rose's face shift to the floor. It was strange to think she had brought up my family only just hours before. She knew firsthand how much they meant to me, and actively choosing to stay away from them was a lot to ask. Her hand carefully slipped out of mine and moved to wrap around her torso. She was giving me space. Space to think about the weight of this decision without her influencing me one way or another. But that small amount of space left me feeling emptier than any distance between me and my family ever would.

"I'll do it."

Rose's face shot up to me, her wavy hair rippling along her back and complete shock adorning her beautiful features.

"Are you sure Dimitri," Abe asked. "I'm not sure when the next time you can go home will be."

As much as the thought of leaving my family behind pained me, it was in that moment I realized sometimes home isn't a place. It's two eyes and a heartbeat. I turned to Rose and looked deep into her dark, questioning eyes as I responded, "I am home."

End.

.

.

* * *

Translations:

"Vy mozhete rasschityvat' na eto." "You can count on it."

 **A/N:** Yes, you read that right….unfortunately, our time here is over. There will be one more Epilogue chapter, but after that, Dark Hearts will have come to an end.

I know I sound like a broken record, but thank you so much to everyone out there who read this story. Your support throughout this experience has truly meant the world. To those of you who have been with me since the very beginning, how I managed not to scare you guys off is beyond me, but y'all seriously ROCK!

Being the last official chapter and all (and since I'm a huge sucker for reminiscing), I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on it; particularly any parts or scenes that stood out to you. I know I have my favorites, but I'm always curious what moments were most memorable to others out there!

As sad as I am to see this go I won't be staying away for too long. I have a new story in the works that I'm really excited about, but I want to get a good chunk of it written before I start posting so I can keep this schedule thing going strong. If you have any questions about it feel free to message me, otherwise (if you're not already) you can follow my author page for updates on posting.

Lastly, I have to give one final shout out to the DH Godmother; the wonderfully talented and extraordinarily fabulous Gaya. Without her, this story would have just been an idea I wrote down on my laptop that never became anything because I would have been way too chicken to even try. Her amazing encouragement, constant pestering for more (whether it be angst, fluff, or gore) ;P, and amazing poetry that found its way in from time to time gave this story life! Not to mention the playlists! Thanks for everything Gaya and I hope DH did you proud.


	36. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

 **Adrian POV**

 **Song: Young Liars by TV On The Radio**

I ran my fingers over the cool bottle as it sat idly in its velvet case. I was beyond bored and the brown liquid inside it was begging me to indulge. I picked up the note that had been carefully taped to the outside of the black box and read the card once again.

 _Adrian,_

 _Thank you for all of your help with my daughter. I hope you will accept this small gift as a token of my appreciation and to keep you company on restless nights. If you are ever in need of a favor, I owe you one._

 _Use it well._

 _AM_

I laughed to myself, thinking about how restless nights and I were more than acquainted these days. We were old pals. Two peas in a pod. But the 40-year single malt whiskey Abe had sent would definitely help me get a break from my unfriendly companion. Zmey's gesture had somewhat surprised me, but I couldn't help but think it was exactly something I would do. I put the lid back on the box, deciding that getting trashed before lunch probably wasn't a good look and I was trying to make a good impression at this new place.

Yesterday I had spent one of those such nights visiting my dear Great Aunt Tatiana in a Spirit dream. We decided it was the best way to stay in contact while still keeping up our deal to keep our location hidden. There wasn't much to tell after only being here for a week so far, but it had pleased her to hear from me nonetheless.

I looked outside to see the compound already filling with people and decided I'd better get out there before Christian came looking for me. He was the first of us to quickly adapt to this new place and had made a routine of dragging my sorry ass around when he saw fit. When I made it outside I spotted him and Eddie at the edge of the compound practicing some partner techniques they had been trying to perfect with one of the other few Dhampirs here. Who would've thought a guy as unsocial and gloomy as him would fit in so well?

It's not that I didn't want to acclimate, I just had a strange feeling about this place since we arrived. Not to mention the boiling tension between me and Eva. Before we had left Court I breached a subject with her that she apparently wasn't too keen on discussing and she had been avoiding me ever since. As I strolled down one of the paved paths I spotted her and Lissa crouched down beside a bed of plants. I could see their auras lighting up with Spirit magic. I felt the urge to join them, but as I moved closer our conversation at Rose and Eddie's congratulatory dinner replayed in my mind.

" _So, we're good then," Christian asked._

" _Yeah, fine," Eva brusquely replied. I hadn't been meaning to eavesdrop, per say, but my position against the wall had coincidentally put them in direct earshot and I wasn't going to just_ not _listen._

" _I just want to make sure everything is cool between us before we head off. I've been getting the feeling that I've upset you for some reason," Chris paused for a moment to give Eva a chance to butt in, but her taciturn demeanor didn't change. "I know things have been a little weird between us since Lissa came back, but I can tell you've been a great support to her and have become very important to her as well. At the end of the day, we both want what's best for Lissa and I hope I haven't done anything to mess up our friendship along the way."_

 _Eva's stiff shoulders and back deflated a little as Christian spoke. She looked down for a moment to study her shoes before finally looking back up at him and replying with, "You haven't, Christian. I'm sorry I gave you that impression. I guess I've just been under a lot more stress lately. But everything's fine. We're good." Her voice was lighter than before, but I could tell it was forced. Not noticing I was nearby, her guard was down, and her aura was dancing with colors. I indulged in the opportunity to read her like an open book while she and Christian finished their little pow-wow._

 _When Chris scurried away to find Lissa and his Aunt, I half-expected Eva to whip around and scold me for invading her privacy, but she just stood there staring blankly at them from across the room—causing her aura to give far more away than she would have liked. Man, she was really off her game._

" _You know, Christian is a very trusting guy," my voice caused her body to bounce in surprise. I pushed off the wall and walked in a small semi-circle around her as I lowered my voice. "But I'm not so easily fooled."_

" _What the hell are you babbling about now, Ivashkov," she crossed her arms around her dainty-yellow dress and avoided my gaze._

" _I know you're lying. There's something going on with you. You just don't want to tell him." I stopped my dramatic pacing and landed right in front of her, so she was forced to look at me. "Something about Lissa."_

 _Her sharp eyes shot up to meet mine at the mention of Lissa's name. "What about her," I could tell she was trying to maintain her cool, but she practically chewed on the words as her teeth ground against each other._

 _I was wading in dangerous waters but for some reason, everyone else seemed completely oblivious and it was left up to me to approach the little shark in front of me. "I know you have ulterior motives for wanting Lissa to go back with you," she opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off, "don't deny it. Even if I didn't get a good read on you just now, it's painfully obvious."_

" _Why don't you mind your own goddamn business," she practically yelled. I was surprised that nobody turned towards us, but maybe we were all becoming unphased by her short temper._

 _The feisty Moroi tried to shove passed me but I snatched her arm and brought my face dangerously close as I spoke into her ear. "Listen to me, I like you Red, I really do, but my allegiance is to my friends and if we are all going to stick our necks out and go on this little rendezvous it better not be a fucking wild goose chase just to indulge your little crush. There are a lot of people counting on us now and I won't let them down." I was a little surprised myself by the harshness of my voice and could sense the same reaction from Eva beneath me. I took a calming breath and loosened my hold on her. "Look, I'm sorry. But if all the stuff about people helping us harness our Spirit and an opportunity to go after the Order was all a bunch of bullshit, you need to tell me right now, Eva."_

 _She whipped her arm away and faced me once again. "I'm not a liar Adrian. Yeah, I may not have told Chris everything I'm fucking feeling at this very moment, but I wouldn't make something up just to get you assholes to come with us. Especially since I've been trying to get away from all of you since we met," she huffed. "I've spent my whole life trying to find ways to get to Kristof and the rest of the Order and now that I've found others who want the same thing, I'm not going to piss it all away."_

 _We stared at each other for a lingering moment, both of us trying to gauge what the other was thinking. Suddenly, her walls slowly trickled down and she willingly revealed her aura to me. "I would never lie to Lissa. There are people who can help her more than you or I ever could and if putting a stop to the destruction she caused is what she wants, then I want it too."_

 _I immediately recognized a particular glow in her aura and found myself swallowing my earlier words. She didn't just have some 'little crush'...she was in love. Shit. This was not good._

 _I couldn't help but turn slightly sympathetic as I responded. "Eva, you know she's with Christian. She loves him."_

" _The restoration changes people." There was a definitive note in her voice that elicited an internal shudder from me._

" _You do realize you are literally playing with fire, right?" She rolled her eyes at me and turned away._

 _She began walking towards the dinner table where some of the guests were starting to convene. "I can handle myself," she called over her back as her walls snapped back into place and the space above her went completely blank._

Looking at her across the way with Lissa caused that disturbing phrase to echo in my mind and veered me towards the small plantation on the other side of the lawn instead.

 _The restoration changes people._

Yes, Lissa had changed that wasn't breaking news to anyone who knew her. But did Eva honestly think she would turn her back on Christian? He'd risked everything and given so much up for her and would gladly do it all again. Was it possible for _anyone_ to give up on that kind of loyalty and dedication? I couldn't fathom how...no matter what they went through.

"What's got you down today pretty boy? Did you run out of hair mousse?" Out of nowhere Rose appeared next to me and my body jolted from the sound of her teasing voice.

"Yeesh! Give a guy a warning why don't you?! You Guardians are always so sneaky." I looked around some of the orange trees and wondered where the hell she had come from. I'm not sure if she really had been using her stealth techniques on me or if I was just so distracted I didn't notice her approaching.

"What? Not happy to see me," she looked up at me with a pouty face, making it nearly impossible not to smile.

"Always happy to see you, Little Dhampir." I flashed her a quick smirk, pushing aside my gloomy thoughts to make room for the playful mood my companion appeared to be in. Rose flicked her hair over her shoulder cavalierly and began playing with the ends of her brightly colored paisley scarf as we continued walking side by side. It had been a gift from her father upon our departure. She seemed hesitant to accept it from him at first, but there hadn't been a day where it wasn't neatly tied around her neck since we'd been here.

"And where is the Russian in shining armor this evening? Not that I'm complaining about getting you alone to myself." Rose nudged my shoulder causing my balance to sway a little as she continued to admire the colorful patterns around her neck. I reached up and grabbed a green apple from a low hanging branch and tossed it in her direction. She deftly caught it with one hand and gave me a sly grin as she took a huge bite out of it.

"He's with Josette and some of the other faction leaders," she tossed me the apple and I flipped it over to take a bite out of the still-whole side.

"Anything interesting going on there," I asked as I continued to munch on the surprisingly sweet fruit. I wasn't sure what these people were putting into their crops, but they were consistently delicious.

"Well, you would know if you'd take up their offer and attend."

I paused mid-bite to look over at Rose, only to find her standing there with an accusatory look on her face and her hands placed on her jutted hips. Suddenly losing my appetite, I threw the remainder of the apple over my shoulder and continued walking down the rows of trees. "And here I thought you just wanted to have a pleasant conversation."

"Oh c'mon, don't give me that," she scurried up behind me. "I'm not here to try and talk you into anything, I just don't understand why you won't even give it a try."

Shortly after arriving, and learning my name/title, Josette and Elara were quick to ask me to join some of their pseudo-council meetings. It had been a while since anyone in their community had been to Court and since I had the most experience there, and obvious familial connections, they wanted my insight. Ironically, I had spent the majority of my life trying to get away from the politics at Court and within my family and now the first thing these people wanted from me centered directly around that. Was that all I was good to anyone for? Another bloody Ivashkov to mold into the perfect politician.

"That's right, Rose. You don't understand." I could already hear my father's scolding voice berating me time and time again for being nothing more than a huge disappointment to him. Whether it be my refusal to go to business school or my disinterest in his countless attempts to get me involved in his bureaucratic bullshit.

My fingernails began digging into my palms and my steps became heavier. Suddenly, something shot up to my arm, its grip stern, yet somehow still gentle. I looked down to see Rose's hand clasped around me and followed it up to her face where a concerned look was firmly lodged. "Then help me to understand."

I stared at her for a moment, letting her genuine interest start to soothe me. I took in a deep breath, inhaling a mix of rosemary and peaches and relaxed my hands from their tight grip. A cool breeze rustled through the nearby trees and sent a quick sting into the fresh cuts on my palms, yet another reminder of my arduous childhood. I focused on Rose's dark eyes to ground me and hold my composure. Maybe opening that bottle of whiskey wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all.

"It's complicated, Rose," I finally breathed out.

An amused smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and her face contorted as she attempted to raise an eyebrow at me. "Haven't you heard? I practically wrote the manual on complicated."

We shared a laugh and I ran my hand through my hair, slightly embarrassed for over-reacting to her simple question. "I'm sorry. It's just a touchy subject for me. Politics and I haven't always necessarily gotten along, a big part of it stemming from my father's not so subtle hints and even less effective methods of parenting." Rose moved her grasp on my arm and linked hers with mine as we started walking again. "You see, I was close with my Aunt _despite_ her position at Court, not because of it. I'm not who they think I am or who they are looking for. The Salvatori would be better off without me mucking things up."

"Adrian, you don't give yourself enough credit," Rose argued. "There's so much more to you than just your name and if you give them a chance to see that, I think you can really make a difference."

She paused, waiting for my response but there was nothing for me to say. I heard a small sigh escape her and her arm slowly slipped out of mine as we made our way to the end of the plot. I turned to face her, trying my best not to look like a lost puppy and she placed her hand on my chest just above my heart. "I just wish you'd believe in yourself as much as I believe in you."

That tender touch sent a beam of warmth through me and I moved to place my hand on top of hers, trying to hold on to that feeling for just a bit longer. "You know Rose, you might be the best friend I've ever had." I had meant it to come out as a flirty joke, in an attempt to ignite our usual banter, but somewhere along the way it morphed into something more earnest, and I realized that I truly meant it.

A sweet smile inched up her cheeks as she said, "And don't you ever forget it." I smiled back and released her hand, letting it drop back down to her side. "Well, I gotta run and catch up with Eddie and Chris. Come find me at dinner?" I nodded in response and watched as she turned to skip away.

I decided I'd walk just a little bit further before finally settling on a task to start on. I couldn't be a complete bum all night or I'd never hear the end of it from Christian. Damn his productiveness and incessant pestering! I looked up from my internal groaning to find myself at the front gate of the compound. It was usually the most inactive place in the community since hardly anyone ever came or went, but to my surprise, there was a small group gathered nearby. Curiosity took over and I made my way to them to see what the fuss was about. As I got closer I could see two men that I had met when we first arrived; John and Nick or Dave and Brian? Some basic names that I couldn't remember at the time. They were arguing with someone on the other side of the cracked opening.

"Hey guys, what's going on," I asked, causing their sharp glares to turn towards me.

"There's a lost girl here," angry guy 1 clarified.

"You're not welcome here," angry guy 2 shouted through the gate.

"I can see that," a new voice seeped through the wood paneling to enter the conversation. "And I told you already, I'm not lost. I was sent here." The pitch of her words was sweet, but her tone was anything but. I moved closer to the gate to try and get a look at the owner of the frustrated shouts. "Trust me, I want to be here even less than you want me here, but either way it looks like we are stuck with each other. So how about you _please_ just let me in already."

I put my hand on John/Brian's shoulder, halting whatever aimless argument he was about to launch at the mysterious stranger again. He looked back at me and deciding this incident wasn't worth his time he stepped to the side and let me through, finally giving me a full view of the scene ahead. There was a 1966 convertible mustang with a luminous candy apple red coat, looking completely out of place in the middle of the dense forest. It was definitely a gorgeous sight. But the car, however, wasn't the most intriguing thing there. Beside it stood a girl, a human girl for that matter. Her blonde hair was neatly combed, despite the top of her car being down, her eyes were the color of fresh sap that rolled down the trees in the plantation, and as she turned her head I could see a fleck of gold illuminate her cheek in the dim light.

"You're an Alchemist?" Her eyes darted over to me, noting that she had heard my question, but she didn't say anything in response. I walked through the gate towards her and her hand immediately shot up to the cross around her neck. Yep, definitely an Alchemist.

"That's quite a nice ride," I walked around the other side, admiring the car's pristine condition. The girl moved protectively to it and when my hand came up to touch it she finally replied with, "Yes, I know. And I plan to keep it that way, so if you don't mind." Her amber eyes flicked to my hand, her nostrils slightly flaring in irritation.

"Alright, alright. I can take a hint," I lifted my hands above me in surrender, but her guarded position remained. "So, you're obviously not delivering this beautiful car to us. Shame," I looked down at it one last time before meeting her gaze again. "Then what are you doing here?"

"I was sent by Zm...ehem Mr. Mazur," she corrected. "He's asked me to come here."

I heard one of the guys behind me let out a grunt but decided to intervene once again before they got the chance to start another ineffective argument. "Oh, did he now? And why on earth should we believe that? Don't you think Mr. Mazur would have informed us first," I kept my tone light, but slightly narrowed my eyes so that she would know I still expected an answer.

"I've been sent to look after his daughter," she deadpanned, unphased by my attempts to lighten the mood.

"Well, I didn't know she needed a keeper," I looked behind me and the two guards were trying to hold in a laugh, no doubt already becoming very well accustomed to Rose's demeanor and complete lack for the need, or want, of a caregiver.

"You must be Adrian," I looked back over to the girl to see her now standing with her arms crossed looking smug as ever. "And how was the single malt? 40 years aged, right?"

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed. "I wouldn't know," I dared to move even closer so that she could hear my low voice. "Been saving it for a special occasion." Her hand twitched on her arm and I wondered if she was trying to hold back from grasping her cross again. I took a step back to give her some space and could see her relax the tiniest bit. "And who might you be, Miss..?"

"Sage. Sydney Sage," she practically blurted it out and her cheeks slightly flushed at her momentary loss of composure. However, she quickly recovered and spoke with more confidence. "Now, if you'd please take me to Miss Hathaway, I would greatly appreciate it." She didn't necessarily sound that appreciative, but her conflicting expressions were rather amusing, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, Sage follow me. But remember...you asked for this." Her brows furrowed and a confused expression took over her features, but she fell in step with me nonetheless. I saw her cast a worried glance back to her car as we walked through the gate but before I could assure her it would be fine, she whipped her head ahead and lifted her chin high.

I wasn't sure where Abe managed to scoop up this one, or how he even managed to get an Alchemist working under him—really, nothing with him should surprise me anymore. I hadn't realized I'd been studying her until her eyes nervously flicked to mine and noticing my focus fixed on her, that same light blush filled up her cheeks. As we walked into the illuminated grounds I noticed she was actually a pretty girl, quite stunning really, and somehow her cheeks looked even lovelier that way when she was flustered.

"So you're here to watch over Rose," I asked speculatively as I eyed her aura for answers.

"Yes," she replied sternly. "Apparently her friends were not doing a sufficient job." I let out a short laugh, even though I'm not sure if it was meant as a joke or not. Her aura twisted under the sound, and I was surprised by what I saw. Outwardly, she seemed nervous around me, as most Alchemists did, but her aura revealed that she was somewhat interested and curious as well. However, it also revealed that she was holding back and harboring some kind of secret she wasn't yet ready to reveal.

I wasn't sure what part she would play here or why Abe had really sent her, but I felt drawn to find out more. Despite the dreary start to the day, I thought to myself, suddenly this place was starting to look up.

* * *

 **A/N:** I thought it only appropriate that since this story started with Adrian, it should end with him as well ;)

Thanks for reading!


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